Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T)

MANAGEMENT

DESIGN VENDORS SALES TOOLING PURCHASING PRODUCTION SERVICE INSPECTION ROUTING PLANNING PRICING

CUSTOMERS

ASSEMBLY

PART PRODUCTION COMMUNICATION MODEL

Three Categories of Dimensioning

Dimensioning can be divided into three categories: general dimensioning, geometric dimensioning, and surface texture.
The following provides information necessary to begin to understand geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T)

Limit Tolerancing Applied To An Angle Block

Geometric Tolerancing Applied To An Angle Block

Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T)

GD&T is a means of dimensioning & tolerancing a drawing which considers the function of the part and how this part functions with related parts.
This allows a drawing to contain a more defined feature more accurately, without increasing tolerances.

GD&T contd

GD&T has increased in practice in last 15 years because of ISO 9000.

ISO 9000 requires not only that something be required, but how it is to be controlled. For example, how round does a round feature have to be?

GD&T is a system that uses standard symbols to indicate tolerances that are based on the features geometry.
Sometimes called feature based dimensioning & tolerancing or true position dimensioning & tolerancing

GD&T practices are specified in ANSI Y14.5M-1994.

For Example

Given Table Height

Assume all 4 legs will be cut to length at the same time.

However, all surfaces have a degree of waviness, or smoothness. For example, the surface of a 2 x 4 is much wavier (rough) than the surface of a piece of glass.
As the table height is dimensioned, the following table would pass inspection.
or

If top must be flatter, you could tighten the tolerance to 1/32.

However, now the height is restricted to 26.97 to 27.03 meaning good tables would be rejected.

Example contd.

You can have both, by using GD&T.

The table height may any height between 26 and 28 inches. The table top must be flat within 1/16. (1/32)

.06

.06

.06

26

27

28

WHY IS GD&T IMPORTANT

Saves money For example, if large number of parts are being made GD&T can reduce or eliminate inspection of some features. Provides bonus tolerance Ensures design, dimension, and tolerance requirements as they relate to the actual function Ensures interchangeability of mating parts at the assembly Provides uniformity It is a universal understanding of the symbols instead of words

WHEN TO USE GD&T

When part features are critical to a function or interchangeability When functional gaging is desirable When datum references are desirable to insure consistency between design When standard interpretation or tolerance is not already implied When it allows a better choice of machining processes to be made for production of a part

TERMINOLOGY REVIEW

Maximum Material Condition (MMC): The condition where a size feature contains the maximum amount of material within the stated limits of size. I.e., largest shaft and smallest hole. Least Material Condition (LMC): The condition where a size feature contains the least amount of material within the stated limits of size. I.e., smallest shaft and largest hole. Tolerance: Difference between MMC and LMC limits of a single dimension. Allowance: Difference between the MMC of two mating parts. (Minimum clearance and maximum interference) Basic Dimension: Nominal dimension from which tolerances are derived.

LIMITS OF SIZE

SIZE DIMENSION

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? 2.007 2.003

LIMITS OF SIZE A variation in form is allowed between the least material condition (LMC) and the maximum material condition (MMC).
SIZE DIMENSION ENVELOPE PRINCIPLE MMC (2.007)

LMC (2.003)

ENVELOPE OF SIZE

Envelop Principle defines the size and form relationships between mating parts.

LIMITS OF SIZE

ENVELOPE PRINCIPLE

LMC CLEARANCE

MMC ALLOWANCE

LIMITS OF SIZE The actual size of the feature at any cross section must be within the size boundary.
MMC LMC

LIMITS OF SIZE No portion of the feature may be outside a perfect form barrier at maximum material condition (MMC).

Other Factors
I.e., Parallel Line Tolerance Zones
GEOMETRIC DIMENSIONING TOLERANCE ZONES

PARALLEL LINES

PARALLEL LINES

PARALLEL LINES

PARALLEL PLANES

PARALLEL PLANES

PARALLEL PLANES

PARALLEL PLANES

PARALLEL PLANES

CYLINDER ZONE

GEOMETRIC CHARACTERISTIC CONTROLS

14 characteristics that may be controlled

TYPE OF FEATURE

TYPE OF CHARACTERISTIC SYMBOL TOLERANCE

FLATNESS

INDIVIDUAL (No Datum Reference)

STRAIGHTNESS FORM CIRCULARITY CYLINDRICITY

INDIVIDUAL or RELATED FEATURES

LINE PROFILE PROFILE SURFACE PROFILE PERPENDICULARITY ORIENTATION ANGULARITY PARALLELISM

RELATED FEATURES (Datum Reference Required)

CIRCULAR RUNOUT RUNOUT TOTAL RUNOUT CONCENTRICITY LOCATION POSITION SYMMETRY

Characteristics & Symbols

contd.

Maximum Material Condition MMC Regardless of Feature Size RFS Least Material Condition LMC Projected Tolerance Zone Diametrical (Cylindrical) Tolerance Zone or Feature Basic, or Exact, Dimension Datum Feature Symbol Feature Control Frame

Feature Control FRAME FEATURE CONTROL Frame

GEOMETRIC SYMBOL TOLERANCE INFORMATION DATUM REFERENCES

COMPARTMENT VARIABLES

THE RELATIVE TO OF THE FEATURE MUST BE WITHIN CONNECTING WORDS

Feature Control Frame

Uses feature control frames to indicate tolerance

Reads as: The position of the feature must be within a .003 diametrical tolerance zone at maximum material condition relative to datums A, B, and C.

Feature Control Frame

Uses feature control frames to indicate tolerance

Reads as: The position of the feature must be within a .003 diametrical tolerance zone at maximum material condition relative to datums A at maximum material condition and B.

Reading Feature Control Frames

The zone.

of the feature must be within a

tolerance

The tolerance zone at to Datum .

of the feature must be within a relative

The

of the feature must be within a tolerance zone relative to Datum .

The

of the feature must be within a zone at relative to Datum .

The of the feature must be within a tolerance zone relative to datums .

Placement of Feature Control Frames

May be attached to a side, end or corner of the symbol box to an extension line.

Applied to surface.

Applied to axis

Placement of Feature Control Frames

Contd.

May be below or closely adjacent to the dimension or note pertaining to that feature.
.500.005

Basic Dimension

A theoretically exact size, profile, orientation, or location of a feature or datum target, therefore, a basic dimension is untoleranced. Most often used with position, angularity, and profile) Basic dimensions have a rectangle surrounding it.

1.000

Basic Dimension
contd.

Form Features

Individual Features No Datum Reference

Flatness

Straightness

Circularity

Cylindricity

Form Features Examples

Flatness as stated on drawing: The flatness of the feature must be within .06 tolerance zone.

Straightness applied to a flat surface: The straightness of the feature must be within .003 tolerance zone.
.003

0.500 .005

.003

0.500 .005

Form Features Examples

Straightness applied to the surface of a diameter: The straightness of the feature must be within .003 tolerance zone.
.003

0.500 0.505

Straightness of an Axis at MMC: The derived median line straightness of the feature must be within a diametric zone of .030 at MMC.
0.500 0.505
1.010 0.990

.030

Dial Indicator
DIAL INDICATOR BEZEL

CASE

2 4 6 8 10 12

2 4 6 8 10

CLAMP

PROBE

Verification of Flatness

Activity 13

Work on worksheets GD&T 1, GD&T 2 #1 only, and GD&T 3

(for GD&T 3 completely dimension. grid.)

Features that Require Datum Reference

Orientation
Perpendicularity Angularity Parallelism

Runout
Circular Runout Total Runout

Location
Position Concentricity Symmetry

Datum

Datums are features (points, axis, and planes) on the object that are used as reference surfaces from which other measurements are made. Used in designing, tooling, manufacturing, inspecting, and assembling components and subassemblies.
As you know, not every GD&T feature requires a datum, i.e., Flat

1.000

Datums contd.
Features are identified with respect to a datum. Always start with the letter A Do not use letters I, O, or Q May use double letters AA, BB, etc. This information is located in the feature control frame.

Datums on a drawing of a part are represented using the symbol shown below.

Datum Reference Symbols

The datum feature symbol identifies a surface or feature of size as a datum.

A A ANSI 1982 ASME 1994

ISO

Placement of Datums

Datums are generally placed on a feature, a centerline, or a plane depending on how dimensions need to be referenced.
A A OR A

ANSI 1982 ASME 1994

Line up with arrow only when the feature is a feature of size and is being defined as the datum

Placement of Datums

Feature sizes, such as holes

A

.500.005

Sometimes a feature has a GD&T and is also a datum

A

.500.005

.500.005

TWELVE DEGREES OF FREEDOM

UP BACK

LEFT

6 LINEAR AND 6 ROTATIONAL DEGREES OF FREEDOM FRONT DOWN RIGHT UNRESTRICTED FREE MOVEMENT IN SPACE

Example Datums

Datums must be perpendicular to each other

Primary

Secondary

Tertiary Datum

Primary Datum

A primary datum is selected to provide functional relationships, accessibility, and repeatability.

Functional Relationships
A standardization of size is desired in the manufacturing of a part. Consideration of how parts are orientated to each other is very important. For example, legos are made in a standard size in order to lock into place. A primary datum is chosen to reference the location of the mating features.

Accessibility
Does anything, such as, shafts, get in the way?

Primary Datum
Repeatability

contd.

For example, castings, sheet metal, etc. The primary datum chosen must insure precise measurements. The surface established must produce consistent Measurements when producing many identical parts to meet requirements specified.

Primary Datum
Restricts 6 degrees of freedom

FIRST DATUM ESTABLISHED BY THREE POINTS (MIN) CONTACT WITH SIMULATED DATUM A

Secondary & Tertiary Datums

All dimension may not be capable to reference from the primary datum to ensure functional relationships, accessibility, and repeatability. Secondary Datum
Secondary datums are produced perpendicular to the primary datum so measurements can be referenced from them.

Tertiary Datum
This datum is always perpendicular to both the primary and secondary datums ensuring a fixed position from three related parts.

Secondary Datum

Restricts 10 degrees of freedom.

SECOND DATUM PLANE ESTABLISHED BY TWO POINTS (MIN) CONTACT WITH SIMULATED DATUM B

Tertiary Datum

Restricts 12 degrees of freedom.

THIRD DATUM PLANE ESTABLISHED BY ONE POINT (MIN) CONTACT WITH SIMULATED DATUM C

90

MEASURING DIRECTIONS FOR RELATED DIMENSIONS

Coordinate Measuring Machine

COORDINATE MEASURING MACHINE BRIDGE DESIGN

PROBE GRANITE SURFACE PLATE

DATUM REFERENCE FRAME

Size Datum
(CIRCULAR) THIS ON THE DRAWING

MEANS THIS

PART DATUM AXIS

SIMULATED DATUMSMALLEST CIRCUMSCRIBED CYLINDER

Size Datum
(CIRCULAR)

THIS ON THE DRAWING A

MEANS THIS SIMULATED DATUMLARGEST INSCRIBED CYLINDER

PART DATUM AXIS A

Orientation Tolerances Perpendicularity

Angularity
Parallelism
Controls the orientation of individual features

Datums are required

Shape of tolerance zone: 2 parallel lines, 2 parallel planes, and cylindrical

PERPENDICULARITY:

is the condition of a surface, center plane, or axis at a right angle (90) to a datum plane or axis. Ex: The perpendicularity of this surface must be within a .005 tolerance zone relative to datum A.

The tolerance zone is the space between the 2 parallel lines. They are perpendicular to the datum plane and spaced .005 apart.

Practice Problem

Plane 1 must be perpendicular within .005 tolerance zone to plane 2.

BOTTOM SURFACE

Practice Problem

Plane 1 must be perpendicular within .005 tolerance zone to plane 2

BOTTOM PLANE

Practice Problem

2.00.01

.02 Tolerance

Without GD & T this would be acceptable

2.00.01
.005 Tolerance Zone .02 Tolerance

With GD & T the overall height may end anywhere between the two blue planes. But the bottom plane is restricted to the red tolerance zone.

PERPENDICULARITY

Contd.

Location of hole (axis)

This means the hole (axis) must be perpendicular within a diametrical tolerance zone of .010 relative to datum A

ANGULARITY:

is the condition of a surface, axis, or median plane which is at a specific angle (other than 90) from a datum plane or axis.
The surface is at a 45 angle with a .005 tolerance zone relative to datum A.

Can be applied to an axis at MMC. Typically must have a basic dimension.

PARALLELISM:

The condition of a surface or center plane equidistant at all points from a datum plane, or an axis. The distance between the parallel lines, or surfaces, is specified by the geometric tolerance.

0.01

Activity 13

Contd.

Complete worksheets GD&T2, GD&T-4, and GD&T-5

Completely dimension. grid

Material Conditions
Maximum Material Condition (MMC) Least Material Condition (LMC) Regardless of Feature Size(RFS)

Maximum Material Condition

MMC This is when part will weigh the most.

MMC for a shaft is the largest allowable size.
MMC of 0.240.005?

MMC for a hole is the smallest allowable size.

MMC of 0.250.005?

Permits greater possible tolerance as the part feature sizes vary from their calculated MMC Ensures interchangeability Used
With interrelated features with respect to location Size, such as, hole, slot, pin, etc.

Least Material Condition

LMC This is when part will weigh the least.

LMC for a shaft is the smallest allowable size.

LMC of 0.240.005?

LMC for a hole is the largest allowable size.

LMC of 0.250.005?

Regardless of Feature Size RFS Requires that the condition of the material NOT be considered. This is used when the size feature does not affect the specified tolerance. Valid only when applied to features of size, such as holes, slots, pins, etc., with an axis or center plane.

Location Tolerances

Position Concentricity Symmetry

Position Tolerance

A position tolerance is the total permissible variation in the location of a feature about its exact true position. For cylindrical features, the position tolerance zone is typically a cylinder within which the axis of the feature must lie. For other features, the center plane of the feature must fit in the space between two parallel planes. The exact position of the feature is located with basic dimensions. The position tolerance is typically associated with the size tolerance of the feature. Datums are required.

Coordinate System Position

Consider the following hole dimensioned with coordinate dimensions:

The tolerance zone for the location of the hole is as follows:

Several Problems: Two points, equidistant from true position may not be accepted. Total tolerance diagonally is .014, which may be more than was intended.

.750

2.000

Coordinate System Position

Consider the following hole dimensioned with coordinate dimensions:

The tolerance zone for the location (axis) of the hole is as follows:
Center can be anywhere along the diagonal line.
.750 2.000

Several Problems: Two points, equidistant from true position may not be accepted. Total tolerance diagonally is .014, which may be more than was intended. (1.4 Xs >, 1.4*.010=.014)

Position Tolerancing

Consider the same hole, but add GD&T:

Now, overall tolerance zone is:

MMC =
.500 - .003 = .497

The actual center of the hole (axis) must lie in the round tolerance zone. The same tolerance is applied, regardless of the direction.

Bonus Tolerance

Here is the beauty of the system! The specified tolerance was:

This means that the tolerance is .010 if the hole size is the MMC size, or .497. If the hole is bigger, we get a bonus tolerance equal to the difference between the MMC size and the actual size.

Bonus Tolerance Example

This means that the tolerance is .010 if the hole size is the MMC size, or .497. If the hole is bigger, we get a bonus tolerance equal to the difference between the MMC size and the actual size.

.503

Actual Hole Size .497 (MMC) .499

(.499 - .497 = .002)

Bonus Tol. 0 .002 .003 .005 .006 ?

(.010 + .002 = .012) (.010 + .003 = .013)

of Tol. Zone .010 .012 .013 .015 .016 ?

.500 (.500 - .497 = .003) .502 .503 (LMC) .504

This system makes sense the larger the hole is, the more it can deviate from true position and still fit in the mating condition!

Hole

.497 = BONUS 0

TOL ZONE .010

Shaft

.499 - .497 = BONUS .002 BONUS + TOL. ZONE = .012

.501 - .497 = BONUS .004

BONUS + TOL. ZONE = .014

.503 - .497 = BONUS .006 BONUS + TOL. ZONE = .016

What if the tolerance had been specified as:

Since there is NO material modifier, the tolerance is RFS, which stands for regardless of feature size. This means that the position tolerance is .010 at all times. There is no bonus tolerance associated with this specification.

VIRTUAL CONDITION: The worst case boundary generated by the collective effects of a size features specified MMC or LMC material condition and the specified geometric tolerance.

GT = GEOMETRIC TOLERANCE

PERPENDICULARITY

Contd.

Means the hole (AXIS) must be perpendicular within a diametrical tolerance zone of .010 at MMC relative to datum A.

Actual Hole Size 1.997 (MMC) 1.998 1.999 2.000 2.001 Vc = 2.002 2.003

Bonus Tol.

of Tol. Zone

Activity 13

Contd.

Worksheet GD&T 6