Geometric Tolerancing

Geometric Tolerancing

•Geometric tolerances state the maximum allowable

variations of a form or its position from the perfect
geometry implied on the drawing.

•Traditional notes which explain geometric tolerance

variations have been used in the past. Presently,
however, it is recommended that such tolerances be
defined using the geometric characteristic symbols
outlined in ANSI Y14.5M-1994.
 Geometric Control Symbols
(See Table 10.4)

Key:
Symbols of main focus in class
 Geometric Control Symbols (cont)
Orientation Group

Parallelism, perpendicularity and angularity

•Feature control frame is comprised of three segments
•Tolerance is linear
•Referenced datum plane does not have to be a principle plane.

The Meaning
 Geometric Control Symbols (cont)
Position Group

Concentricity
•Used to establish a relationship between the axes of two or more cylindrical features
•The feature control frame is divided into 3 segments
•The tolerance specifies a cylindrical tolerance zone and is, thusly, preceded by the symbol 

The Meaning
 Geometric Control Symbols
Position Group (cont)

Symmetry
•Defines a tolerance zone where the median points of opposite symmetrical
surfaces align with the datum center plane.
•The feature control frame is comprised of 3 segments
•The related datum reference is the datum center plane
•The tolerance will always be applied on a RFS (Regardless of Feature Size) basis

The Meaning
 Geometric Control Symbols
Position Group (cont)

Positional
•The most important of the geometric control tolerance symbols.
•Controls the location of a cylindrical tolerance zone where the centerline
of a feature is located.
•Tolerance is applied with a diameter tolerance zone with relation to its
material condition size.
•The feature control frame is comprised of 5 segments. The last three
segments refer to the primary, secondary, and tertiary datum reference
planes respectively.
 The Positional Tolerance Feature
Control Frame

Geometric Control Symbol

Diametric or Linear Tolerance
Material Condition Symbol
Primary Datum Reference Plane
Secondary Datum Reference Plane
Tertiary Datum Reference Plane

Maximum Material Condition

Least Material Condition
Material Condition Symbols Regardless of Feature size
Projected Tolerance
Free State Condition
 Meaning of the Positional Tolerance

MMCHole - Position Tolerance = Theoretical Boundary

Finding the Applied Positional
Tolerance
1. Finding the Applied Positional Tolerance at MMC

For Internal Features

Applied Tolerance
= Actual size -MMC + Positional Tolerance

For External Features

Applied Tolerance
= MMC - Actual Size + Positional Tolerance
2. Finding the Applied Positional Tolerance at LMC

For External Features

Applied Tolerance
= Actual size -LMC + Positional Tolerance

For Internal Features

Applied Tolerance
= LMC - Actual Size + Positional Tolerance
3. Finding the Applied Positional Tolerance Regardless
of Feature Size (RFS)
Calculating the Numerical Value
of the Positional Tolerance
 Three Possible Situations
1. Floating Fastener Application
•Where two or more parts are assembled with fasteners such as nuts and bolts and all parts
have clearance holes.
•When holes in a pattern are the same diameters, the bolts used are the same diameters, and
the same positional tolerance for all the holes is to be the same, then the positional tolerance
may be calculated as the allowance (MMCHole - MMCBolt) applicable for all holes within
the pattern of each part.

Typical Floating
Fastener Application
2. Fixed Fastener Application
•Where one of the parts to be assembled has a held-in-place fastener
such as a threaded hole for a bolt, screw, or stud.
•Only one of the parts will have clearance around it, so the positional
tolerance of that one hole is to be shared with the threaded hole. In this
case, the positional tolerance is distributed at the discretion of the engineer.
That tolerance usually is 50% of the allowance with half going to the clearance
hole and the other half going to the threaded hole.

Typical Fixed
Fastener Application
3. All Other Applications
•A circumscribed circle drawn from the square defined by dimensional tolerances
(.012 + .012)1/2 = .014