Limits, fits and tolerance.

No component can be manufactured precisely for a given dimension. The machined component will
have more in size or less in size, to standardise the organisations developed permissible sizes which
has maximum and minimum size they said as tolerance.

For example: if we want to machine a 30mm diameter shaft it will have a deviation in size,

30.2 mm or 29.8 mm, we can machine in between this size which is accepted, this will be denoted by

30+0.2/-0.2 that is 30.2 or 29.8

Limit is the variation in dimension, upper variation and lower variation

i.e upper limit and lower limit

From the above we can find upper limit is +0.2 & lower limit is -0.2
The fits has basically three types by that adopting and predicting the tolerance and limits will differ

Standard: Are the fundamental reference developed by organisations ASME ( American society of
mechanical engineering) , BS( British standards) , BIS ( bureau of Indian standards) for a system of
weights and measures, against which all other measuring devices are compared. Although
measurement is an important part of everyday life
Classification of standards:
Standards are classified into four levels. They are,
1. International standards
2. Primary standards
3. Secondary standards
4. Working standards
International standards
1. They are defined by international agreement, and are maintained at the International
Bureau of Weight and Measure in France.
2. These are as accurate as it is scientifically possible to achieve.
3. They may be used for comparison with primary standard, but cannot be used for any
other application.

Primary Standard
1. They are maintained at separate Bureau in various countries around the world,
2. They are preserved carefully and maintained under standard atmospheric
conditions so that they do not change their values. This has no direct application to a
measuring problem encountered in engineering.
3. They are used to compare with secondary standard which constructed for the greatest
possible accuracy, and their main function is checking the accuracy.

Secondary standard
1. Secondary standards are more accurate than working standard
2. Used throughout industry within the country for checking working standards with respect
to design, material, and length and for calibrating high accuracy equipment.
3. For periodically check and to maintain the primary standards at the Bureau.
4. To verify the accuracy of working standards

Working Standard
1. The working standards are the principal tools of a measurement laboratory within the
industry
2. They are used to check and calibrate general laboratory instrument for accuracy and
performance
3. To perform comparison in industrial measurement application.

DEFINITIONS
1. True value: A standard value which is impossible to find. But we can assume it. In
other name we can say actual value.
2. Error: It is defined as the difference between the true value and the measured value.
Error = measured value - true value.
e =Am –At , this “e” said as static error or absolute error
Er = relative error is defined as ratio of absolute static error to true value i.e.,

= =
the error may be positive or negative in positive the value shows high, in negative the
value shows less. For this correction factor will be done.
3. Correction : The difference between the true value and the measured value is said as
static correction ( Cs) = − = −
Example problem:

A voltmeter reads 112.68v. if the true value of the voltage is 112.6v, determine the following:

(1) The static error

(2) Correction factor.

Solution : given Am= 112.68 volts: At= 112.6 volts.

I. Static error (e) = Am-At = 112.68-112.6 = +0.08 volt.

II. Correction factor = − = − = - 0.08 volt.

Exercise problem:
A thermometer reads 92.350c and the correction factor given as -0.070c. Determine the true
value.

4. Calibration :
It is the comparison of a device with unknown accuracy to a device with known accurate
standard to eliminate any variation in the device under test.
5. Zero error:
A zero error arises when the measuring instrument does not start from exactly zero. The zero
error can be positive or negative.
NEGATIVE ZERO ERROR: The pointer of a meter does not place on zero but shows a
negative value when no input is given.
POSITIVE ZERO ERROR: The pointer of the ammeter does not place on zero but shows a
positive value when no input is given.
NO ZERO ERROR: The pointer of a meter place on zero when no input is given.

6. Backlash Error:
It is defined as the amount of lost motion due to clearance or slackness when movement is
reversed and contact is re-established. Sometimes due to wear and tear of the screw threads, it
is observed that reversing the direction of rotation of the thimble, the tip of the screw does not
start moving in the opposite direction immediately, but remains stationary for a part of
rotation.
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