GEOMETRIC DIMENSIONING

AND TOLERANCING

ORIENTATION TOLERANCES
 The following geometric characteristics are classified as orientation tolerances:

Perpendicularity

Angularity

Parallelism

 Orientation tolerances control the relationship of a part feature to one or more

datums. They specify how far the part feature is allowed to vary with respect to the
datum.
 Orientation tolerances are a refinement of the location tolerance and should
always be less than the governing location tolerance.

PERPENDICULARITY
 Perpendicularity refers to a part surface, center plane, or axis that is 90º to a
datum plane or axis: therefore, a datum reference is required.
 A perpendicularity tolerance specifies how far from 90º the feature is allowed to
vary with respect to the datum plane or axis.
 Depending on the application, a perpendicularity tolerance zone may be:
- Cylindrical and perpendicular to a datum plane
- Distance between two parallel planes perpendicular to a datum plane
or axis
- Distance between two parallel lines perpendicular to a datum plane or
axis
EXAMPLE: In the example below, the perpendicularity tolerance means that the
entire indicated surface must lie within a .004 wide tolerance zone that is
perpendicular to datum plane A.
 GEOMETRIC DIMENSIONING
AND TOLERANCING

EXAMPLE: In the example below, the perpendicularity tolerance means that the
center plane of the slot must lie within a .005 wide tolerance zone that is
perpendicular to datum plane A.

EXAMPLE: In the example below, the perpendicularity tolerance means that the
axis of the controlled feature must lie within a 0.1 wide tolerance zone that is
perpendicular to datum axis A.
 GEOMETRIC DIMENSIONING
AND TOLERANCING

EXAMPLE: In the example below, adding the MMC modifier will mean that the .003
tolerance zone will apply only when the feature is at its maximum material condition
size of .255. If the inspector discovers that the actual feature size is within the size
tolerance, but not at MMC, he will be able to adjust the tolerance on the spot. The
adjustment will be equal to the amount of deviation from MMC.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE: If, at inspection, the actual feature size is found to be n.248
then the inspector can adjust the perpendicularity tolerance by adding the equal amount
of deviation of the feature from MMC (the bonus) to the perpendicularity tolerance. In
this example, the inspector would be able to add .007 to the perpendicularity tolerance,
increasing the tolerance to .010.

Inspecting for Perpendicularity

 Perpendicularity of surface
- Checked with an angle plate and dial indicator.
- FIM cannot exceed the specified perpendicularity tolerance.
 Perpendicularity of cylindrical feature (MMC basis)
- Checked with functional gage.
- Gage should equal feature’s virtual condition.
- Virtual condition of external feature is MMC plus geometric tolerance.
 GEOMETRIC DIMENSIONING
AND TOLERANCING

ANGULARITY
 Angularity refers to a part surface, center plane, or axis at a specified angle other
than 90º to a datum plane or axis.
 The angular dimension is always a basic dimension.
 An angularity tolerance states how far from the specified angle the part feature is
allowed to vary with respect to the datum plane or axis.
 Depending on the application, an angularity tolerance zone may be:
- Distance between two parallel planes at a specified basic angle from a
datum plane or axis
- Distance between two parallel straight lines at a specified basic angle
from a datum plane or axis

NOTE – Although ASME Y14.5 states that a cylindrical tolerance zone can
now be used with angularity (in the previous release this was not true), we at
Cameron will continue NOT to do so. Angularity will apply only to the view
on which it is specified. DO NOT USE A CYLINDRICAL TOLERANCE
ZONE WITH ANGULARITY.
EXAMPLE: In the example below, the angularity tolerance means that the feature
axis must lie within a 0.2 wide tolerance zone at 45º to datum plane A.
 GEOMETRIC DIMENSIONING
AND TOLERANCING

EXAMPLE: In the example below, the angularity tolerance means that the entire
indicated surface must lie within a .005 wide tolerance zone at 30º to datum plane A.

Inspecting for Angularity

 Inspection set-up depends on part configuration.
 Generally requires a sine plate or sine bar and a dial indicator.
 FIM (TIR) cannot exceed the specified angularity tolerance.
 GEOMETRIC DIMENSIONING
AND TOLERANCING

PARALLELISM
 Parallelism refers to:
- A surface or center plane that is equal distance at all points from a
datum plane.
- An axis whose entire length is an equal distance from a datum plane or
datum axis.
 A parallelism tolerance specifies how far the surface, center plane, or axis is
allowed to vary from the specified datum.
 Depending on the application, a parallelism tolerance zone may be:
- Cylindrical and parallel to a datum plane or axis
- Distance between two parallel planes that are parallel to a datum plane
or axis
- Distance between two parallel lines that are parallel to a datum plane
or axis
EXAMPLE: In the example below, the parallelism tolerance means that the indicated
surface must lie within a .010 wide tolerance zone that is parallel to datum plane A.

EXAMPLE: In the example below, the parallelism tolerance means that the axis of the
controlled feature must lie within a .05 wide tolerance zone that is parallel to datum
plane A.
 GEOMETRIC DIMENSIONING
AND TOLERANCING

EXAMPLE: In the example below, the axis of the hole must lie within a .003 wide
cylindrical tolerance zone that is parallel to datum axis A.

Inspecting for Parallelism

 Inspection set-up depends on part configuration.
 Generally, parallelism can be verified using a surface plate and dial indicator.
 FIM (TIR) cannot exceed the specified parallelism tolerance.