TOLERANCES

ENDG105 Class 7.1

RAT 7.1
Individually respond to the following questions. You will have a
few minutes to respond. You do not need to copy the question
(but you may).
Make sure your paper has the following information on it:
NAME, RAT 7.1, DATE, ENDG 105-### (section number).

RAT 7.1
1. What type of tolerance form is shown below?
A. Limits
B. Bilateral
C. Unilateral

RAT 7.1
2. What type of tolerance form is shown on the .188
diameter hole below?
A. Limits
B. Bilateral
C. Unilateral

Introduction
Features without any error are impossible to
manufacture.
If a hole has a design diameter of one inch, how
close to one inch would it have to be to be
considered acceptable?
Tolerances contribute to the expense of a part. The
greater the accuracy (smaller tolerance) the higher
the cost of manufacturing.

General Idea of Tolerance

The dictionary defines tolerance as:
tolerance: n. 2.a. Leeway for variation from a
standard. b. The permissible deviation from a
specified value of a structural dimension, often
expressed as a percent.
Paraphrased to:
Tolerance is how accepting of errors you are.

Tolerances in Design
The term tolerance refers to the permissible level of error that a
machinist is allowed on a specific dimension.
It can be understood as a range of acceptable values for a
particular dimension.
This class is not trying to teach the design aspect of tolerance.
We will be interested in applying a given tolerance to a part, not
in determining the best tolerance.
Various industries (aerospace, electronics, automotive, etc.) set
their own tolerances.

Types of Tolerances
General

General Tolerances apply to all dimensions on a

drawing.

Linear

Linear Tolerances refer to specific features that

require more accuracy than general tolerances
provide.

Geometric

Geometric Tolerances are concerned with a

features shape or profile, not its size or dimensions.

General Tolerance

Apply to all dimensions on a drawing.

Often found in the title block of all drawings intended for

manufacturing or as a general note.

Normally given in bilateral form, defining a symmetric limit

above and below a dimension.

General

Linear Tolerance

Linear

It is an overriding tolerance used when a specific

feature requires greater accuracy than the one
expressed by the general tolerance.

Limit Form

Unilateral Form

Bilateral Form

Linear Fit Relationships

Linear

When developing designs with mating parts, such as a shaft mating

with a hole or a block sliding along a slot, tolerances become critical.
Not only are the individual tolerances of each part important, but also
the relationship between the two parts (how tightly or loosely they
are going to fit) needs to be considered.
From a design point of view, there are four parameters of interest:
Tolerance of the first mating part
Tolerance of the second mating part
Allowance
Maximum Clearance

Design Considerations

The assembly shown will be used as an

example to illustrate these concepts but
the terms can be applied to any two
mating parts.

In this design, the two components fit

together with the stud (shaft) from the top
piece mating with the hole in the bottom
piece.

Linear

Tolerances of Parts
Hole Tolerance (Bottom Part)
The difference between the diameters of the largest and
smallest possible holes
Determines the cost of manufacturing the hole
Does not consider the Shaft at all

Shaft Tolerance (Top Part)

The difference between the diameters of the largest and
smallest possible shafts
Determines the cost of the shaft
Does not consider the Hole at all

Linear

Relationship between Parts

Linear

Allowance

The tightest fit between two mating parts

Determines how the two parts will interact with one another
Smallest dia. hole minus largest dia. shaft
Does not affect the cost of the parts

Maximum Clearance

The loosest fit between mating parts

Determines how the two parts will interact with one another
Largest dia. hole minus smallest dia. shaft
Does not affect the cost of the parts

Formulas for Calculation

Linear

Hole Tolerance = LPH SPH

Shaft Tolerance = LPS SPS
Allowance = SPH LPS
Maximum Clearance = LPH - SPS

LPH=Largest Possible Hole, SPH=Smallest Possible Hole

LPS-Largest Possible Shaft, SPS=Smallest Possible Shaft

Example

Linear

Hole Tol = 2.0018 2.0000 = 0.0018

Shaft Tol = 2.0000 1.9988 = 0.0012
Al = 2.0000 2.0000 = 0
Max Cl = 2.0018 1.9988 = 0.0030

Bottom Part

Top Part

Types of Fits
A type of fit represents the degree
of tightness between two mating
parts.
Linear tolerances can be classified
in 4 major categories, based on the
interaction between the parts.

Linear

Clearance Fit
Line Fit
Transition Fit
Interference Fit

Types of Fits

Clearance Fit

The internal mating part (shaft)

is always smaller than the
external mating part (hole).
Therefore, the parts will always
fit together with room to spare.

Some designs require parts

that do not interfere with each
other, such as pistons inside
cylinders in an internal
combustion engine.

Linear

Types of Fits

Line Fit

The internal mating part (shaft)

could possibly be smaller or
equal to the external mating
part (hole).

Line fits are used in assemblies

with stationary parts, but which
can be easily assembled and
disassembled.

Linear

Types of Fits

Transition Fit

The internal mating part (shaft)

could be larger or smaller than
the external mating part (hole).
In this case, the two parts may
either clear or interfere with
each other.

Transition fits are normally

used for location of centers of
holes, since it is the cheapest
way to manufacture a part.

Linear

Types of Fits

Interference Fit

Also called Force Fit.

The internal mating part (shaft)

will always be larger than the
external mating part (hole).

In order to assemble two parts

with an interference fit, it is
necessary to apply force to
them.

Linear

Standard Fits and Tolerance Tables

Linear

In order to make parts interchangeable, tolerance values have

been standardized and recorded in tables for both English and
metric systems. This way, a designer does not need to make
decisions about specific tolerance values.

Tolerance tables are used to obtain specific values based on the

type of fit and a basic size.

The four general types of fits are further developed in both the
English and metric tolerance tables. There are five types of fits
(with different grades or classes) in the English system and ten
types in the metric system, depending on its tightness.

English Fits

ANSI standards list five type of fits.

The higher the class number, the greater the tolerance

Linear

Metric Fits

Linear

Tolerance Tables

Linear

Pages 272-278 list the parameters for American

tolerance fits.
Please note that the values listed are in
thousandths of an inch!
Pages 279-280 give the metric tolerance values for
the hole basis fits

English Example

Using a basic hole/shaft assembly

and given the following
information:

Type of Fit: RC3 (ANSI Running and

Sliding Fit)
Nominal Diameter for both shaft and
hole: 2.00 inches

The hole and shaft tolerances can

be calculated using the
corresponding tolerance table.

The nominal size range 1.97 3.15 is

selected because 2.00 inches falls in
between these values.
From the tolerance table, the hole
limits are determined to be +1.2 and 0
and the shaft limits are -1.2 and -1.9.

Linear

English Example
Note that these values are in thousandths of an inch,
so in reality, the hole limits are 0.0012 and 0, and the
shaft limits are -0.0012 and -0.0019.
These values will be added or subtracted from the
target diameter (depending upon the sign) to obtain
the proper acceptable range.

English Example
Hole limits +1.2, 0 +0.0012, 0
Shaft limits -1.2, -1.9 -0.0012, -0.0019
Therefore:
o
o
o
o

Hole Tol = 2.0012 2.0000 = 0.0012

Shaft Tol = 1.9988 1.9981 = 0.0007
Allowance = 2.0000 1.9988 = 0.0012
Max Clearance = 2.0012 1.9981 = 0.0031

Linear

Metric Example

Using a basic hole/shaft assembly and given the following

information:
Type of Fit: U7/h6 fit (ANSI Interference Fit)
Diameter for both shaft and hole: 8 mm

The hole and shaft diameters are given directly in the

corresponding tolerance table.

Unlike English tolerances, metric tolerances give the exact

diameter, not the range.

Linear

Metric Example

Hole Limits: 7.978 mm and 7.963 mm.

Shaft Limits: 8.000 mm and 7.991 mm.

Therefore:
o
o
o
o

Linear

Hole Tol = 7.978 7.963 = 0.015

Shaft Tol = 8.000 7.991 = 0.009
Allowance = 7.963 8.000 = -0.037
Max Clearance = 7.978 7.991 = -0.013

Note that both the allowance and max clearance are negative, which is expected
for a force fit.

Linear Tolerances in AutoCAD

DRAW object full scale

DIMENSION normally without worrying
about the tolerances
TOLERANCE
Given: Basic dimension & class of fit
Using TABLES, determine the upper &
lower deviations for each dimension.

31

Adding Linear Tolerances

Use MODIFY PROPERTIES to add

tolerances to the dimension
Under TOLERANCE option, set
tolerance type to Limits, and enter
deviations into appropriate boxes,
change precision if necessary, and
suppress leading zeroes if necessary

Using the properties command to change the tolerances

Type in properties, or use

the properties icon.
Select the Dimension you
need to modify.
You can also pull up this box
by selecting the dimension
and then right-click, and then
selecting properties from the
pop-up menu.
The properties box should
look similar to this

Changing the tolerance properties

Click on the Tolerance tab to scroll

out the available properties.
Under tolerance display, change to
limits
For the limit lower, put in your lower
limit (amount from table)
For the upper limit, put in your upper
limit (amount from table)
Finally, change the tolerance
precision to the needed decimal
places
Suppress leading zeroes if needed
Hit enter and then the escape button
to unselect the dimension.
Close the properties box

Geometric Tolerances

Geometric

Geometric tolerancing is a system that controls the

allowed level of error related to the geometry of
features, not the size.
They are used to define the shape of features: How
parallel must two sides be? How concentric must a
hole be with a semicircular arc?

Geometric Tolerances

Geometric tolerances are indicated using symbols called feature

control frames (or call out boxes).

They consist of a standard geometric tolerance symbol,

tolerance zone, and possible datum identifier (if needed).

Datum

Feature
Control Frame

Categories

Geometric

Tolerance Zone

Geometric

Explanation

Explanation

QLeader - Geometric Tolerance option AutoCAD

Type in Qleader at the command prompt, and then return to go to the settings.
On the Annotation Tab, select tolerance, and then ok.
Now select leader line start location, then points to create a leader line with an
elbow. Then fill out Control Frame Box next slide.

39

Leader Geometric Tolerance option

Fill out boxes with appropriate information
Symbols, tolerance amounts, and datum/s as needed

40

Create Datums in AutoCAD

Type in Qleader at command prompt, then return to go to settings.
On Annotation tab select tolerance, then on Leader Line & Arrow tab select
Arrowhead drop down menu and select Datum Triangle Filled.qleader, make
maximum number of points -2, then ok and select leader line points.
This works great for horizontal datum identifiers, for vertical you may have
to do some clean-up. I suggest you use same method, but AutoCAD throws
the leader line off to one side. I would then delete the box with letter in it, this
straightens the leader line, but now have to add another box with letter. Use
geometric tolerance command or copy an existing box and edit the text.

Fill in letter for

Datum identifier

Team in-class Assignment 7.1

Complete pages 129, 131, and 133. Use tables in the
back of textbook for 129 and 131. Use limit form
when applying tolerances to the holes and shafts.
Use information in chapter 8 of the textbook to
complete 133.

Individual Homework Assignment 7.1

Using AutoCAD and the TOLERANCE.dwt (105 Library Raborn folder Tolerances folder) add the necessary
tolerances based on the information given on the drawing.
Once you make the changes you can erase the
information about the tolerances.
Note this is a 11 X 17 drawing (use generic 11 x 17 in the
plot dialog box)
Due next class period.
Plot limits at a scale of 1=1