Republic of the Philippines

Tarlac State University

Romulo Blvd., San Vicente, Tarlac City, Tarlac
College of Engineering and Technology
Department of Mechanical Engineering

MEP 453
Machine Design 1
Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing

Prepared by:
Jochelle Mae DG. Pecson

BSME 4B

Submitted to:
Engr. Adam F. Rombaoa
I. What is Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T)?
 first utilized by the US military in the 1940s with the MIL-STD-8
publication. It evolved since then and is now commonly utilized across
the industry.  

 is a system of symbols and standards designed and used by engineers

and manufacturers on engineering drawings to describe a product and
facilitate communication between the designer and manufacturer who’s
working together to manufacture product. 

 is used to define the nominal geometry of parts and assemblies and to

define the allowable variation of features.

  GD&T tells the manufacturer the degree of accuracy and precision

needed for each controlled feature of the part.

II. How GD&T Works?

 Engineering drawings need to show the dimensions for all features of a

part. Next to the dimensions, a tolerance value needs to be specified
with the minimum and maximum acceptable limit. The tolerance is the
difference between the minimum and maximum limit.

 For example, if we have a table that we would accept with a height

between 750 mm and 780 mm, the tolerance would be 30 mm.
However, the tolerance for the table implies that we would accept a table
that is 750 mm high on one side and 780 mm on the other, or has a
waved surface with 30 mm variation. To appropriately tolerance the
product, we need a symbol communicating the design intent of a flat top
surface. Therefore, we must include an additional flatness tolerance in
addition to the overall height tolerance.
  Parts with unpredictable variations and complex shapes require GD&T
practices beyond simple plus-minus tolerancing. Similarly, a cylinder
with a tolerance diameter will not necessarily fit into its hole if the
cylinder gets slightly bent during the manufacturing process. Therefore,
it also needs a straightness control, which would be difficult to
communicate with traditional plus-minus tolerancing. Or a tube that has
to seamlessly match a complex surface that it’s welded to requires a
surface profile control.

III. Datum and Features

Datum Reference Frame (DRF)

 In design engineering, DRF is a three-dimensional Cartesian
coordinate system against which the part’s tolerances, tolerance
symbols, and geometric features are defined.
 Datum Reference Frame (DRF) is arguably the most important
concept in GD&T. The DRF is the skeleton of the geometric system
—it is the frame of reference to which all referenced geometric
 specifications are related and the origin of all dimensions and
geometric specifications related to it.
 A DRF establishes Six Degrees of Freedom (DOF), three
translational and three rotational. DOF must be constrained to
design, manufacture, and verify parts. The parts then are paired to
the DRF in order to make measurements, processing, and
calculations.
 In DG&T, there is an important difference between datums and datum
features. Datums are point, axes (lines), and planes, or some
combination of these components that make up the DRF. While datum
features are the actual, physical features of the part such as holes,
faces, slots etc.
 The illustrations below are provided to emphasize that Datums (left) are
theoretical (perfect) and datum features (right) are real (imperfect).

datum Datum feature

IV. Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing Symbols

The 4 Fundamental Elements of GD&T

 GD&T is feature-based, with each feature specified by different controls. These
tolerancing symbols fall into five groups:

A. Form controls specify the shape of features, including:

 Straightness is divided into line element straightness and

axis straightness.
 Flatness means straightness in multiple dimensions,
measured between the highest and lowest points on a
surface.
 Circularity or roundness can be described as straightness
bent into a circle.
 Cylindricity is basically flatness bent into a barrel. It
includes straightness, roundness, and taper, which makes it expensive to
inspect.

B. Profile controls describe the three-dimensional tolerance zone around a

surface:
 Line Profile compares a two-dimensional cross-section to
an ideal shape. The tolerance zone is defined by two offset
curves unless otherwise specified.
  Surface Profile creates through two offset surfaces between which the
feature surface must fall. This is a complex control typically measured with
a CMM.

C. Orientation controls concern dimensions that vary at angles, including:

 Angularity is flatness at an angle to a datum and is also

determined through two reference planes spaced the
tolerance value apart.
 Perpendicularity means flatness at 90 degrees to a
datum. It specifies two perfect planes the feature plane must lie in between.
 Parallelism means straightness at a distance. Parallelism
for axes can be defined by defining a cylindrical tolerance
zone by placing a diameter symbol in front of the tolerance value.

D. Location controls define feature locations using linear dimensions:

 Position is the location of features relative to one another

or to datums and is the most used control.
 Concentricity compares the location of a feature axis to
the datum axis.
 Symmetry ensures that non-cylindrical parts are similar
across a datum plane. This is a complex control typically
measured with a CMM.

E. Runout controls define the amount by which a particular feature can vary

with respect to the datums:

 Circular Runout is used when there is a need to account

for many different errors, such as ball-bearing mounted
 parts. During inspection, the part is rotated on a spindle to measure the
variation or ‘wobble’ around the rotational axis.
 Total Runout is measured on multiple points of a surface, not just
describing the runout of a circular feature but of an entire surface. This
controls straightness, profile, angularity, and other variations.

Modifiers
If no modifier follows a datum feature size, the datum feature applies regardless of
material boundary.

SYMBOL MODIFIER NOTES

This symbol is used to identify a group of features when

Continuous Feature there is a requirement that they be treated geometrically
as a single feature.
 Features identified as statistical tolerance should be
Statistical Tolerance
produced with Statistical Process Control (SPC).

The upper value of an external feature defines a virtual

cylinder that the entire feature has to fit inside. Likewise,
Envelope requirement
an internal features minimum value defines a cylinder
that has to fit inside the hole.

Free State Applies only when part is otherwise restrained.

This principle sets no limits to the number of errors of

form possessed by individual features of a work piece.
Independency requirement
Is the default for ISO tolerancing.
For ANSI/ASME tolerancing this has to be specified.

Least Material Condition

Useful to maintain minimum wall thickness.
(LMC)

Maximum Material
Provides bonus tolerance only for a feature of size.
Condition

Projected Tolerance Zone Useful on threaded holes for long studs.

Tangent Plane Useful for interfaces where form is not required.

Appears in the 2009 version of the standard and refers to

Unequal Bilateral
unequal profile distribution.
 Tolerance Zones
Specifies the type of zone applied to the tolerance.

Symbol Tolerance zone Notes

Creates a tolerance zone defined by two arcs that are

Controlled radius
tangential to the adjacent surfaces

Spherical diameter Creates a spherical tolerance zone defined by a specified

tolerance zone diameter

Spherical radius Creates a tolerance zone defined by two spherical segments

tolerance zone with the minimum and maximum radii mentioned

This prefix can be used to signify that a tolerance zone

Diameter
exists of a diameter specified by the numerical value aft

V. FEATURE CONTROL FRAME (FCF)

  In GD&T (Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing), a feature control frame is

required to describe the conditions and tolerances of a geometric control on a part's
feature. The feature control frame includes four parts: 
 o GD&T symbol/control symbol
o Tolerance zone type and dimensions
o Tolerance zone modifiers - such as features of size
o Datum references (if required by the GD&T Symbol)

Combined, the feature control frame provides all the information you need to measure
the geometric tolerance of the features of the part and determine if the part is in spec.

VI. Parts of Feature Control Frame (FCF)

 Leader Arrow 
→ Leader Arrow points to the feature that the geometric control is placed
on. The arrow is optional and may not be present on some drawings.
→ Arrow pointing to a diametric dimension means the axis is controlled by
the GD&T.
→ Arrow pointing to a surface means the surface is controlled by GD&T.

 Geometric Characteristic Symbol

→ This is where geometric control is specified.

 Diameter Control / Cylindrical Tolerance Zone (if required)

 → If the geometric control is a diametrical tolerance, then the diameter
symbol will be in front of the tolerance.

 Tolerance
→ The numerical value defines the tolerance zone. The unit of measure
is the same for the whole drawing and will be defined in the title block.

 Modifier for the Tolerance

→ This is maximum material condition or a projected tolerance in the
feature control frame.

 Primary Datum (if required)

→ is the main datum used for GD&T if a datum is required. The letter
corresponds to a feature somewhere on the part which will be marked
with the same letter. This is the datum that must be constrained first
when measuring the part. The order of the datum is important for
measurement of the part. The primary datum is usually in 3 places to
fix 3 degrees of freedom.

 Secondary Datum (if required)

→ When a secondary datum is required, it will be to the right of the
primary datum in the feature control frame. Like the primary datum
the letter corresponds to a feature somewhere on the part which will
be marked with the same letter. During measurement this datum is
fixated after the primary datum. 

 Tertiary Datum (if required)

→ When a tertiary datum is required, it is to the right of the secondary
datum in the feature control frame. During measurement, this datum
is fixated last. 
VII. How to read a Feature Control Frame (FCF)

EXAMPLE 1:

EXAMPLE 2:

EXAMPLE 3:
 → the GD&T calls out the 4 holes in each corner of the part, each with a
diameter of 4.763. The position of the feature axis must be within
a .014 tolerance zone at MMC relative to datum features A, B, and C.

VIII. Placement of Feature Control Frame

The feature control frame can be placed on feature of size and surfaces. How
the feature control frame is placed on the drawing will determine if the geometric
control is on a feature of size (FOS) or a surface.
 A. Feature Control Frame is located directly underneath or next to
note/dimension of a feature. This is controlling a feature of size.

B. Feature Control Frame is attached to feature (or extension line relating to the
feature) using leader arrow. Both instances shown here are controlling just the surface.

C. Feature Control Frame is attached directly to extension line of feature. This is

controlling the surface associated with the leader line.

D. Feature Control Frame is attached directly to dimension extension line of

feature. Take extra care to note that if the feature control frame is directly in line with the
dimension, it is controlling that feature of size. However, if it is NOT directly in line with
the dimension then it is controlling just the surface associated with that extension line.

E. Feature Control Frame is attached to an existing frame; this is generally used

for refinement.

F. Feature Control Frame is placed in a note, chart, or tolerance block

IX. GD&T Symbols and Guidelines Sheet
 REFERENCES

GD&T 101: An Introduction to Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing

–https://www.fictiv.com/articles/gdt-101-an-introduction-to-geometric-dimensioning-and-tolerancing

GD&T: The Basics of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing – https://formlabs.com/asia/blog/gdt-

geometric-dimensioning-and-tolerancing/

Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing by Inspectionxpert –

https://www.inspectionxpert.com/gdt/geometric-dimensioning-and-tolerancing

GD&T How to Read a Feature Control Frame by Inspectionxpert –

https://www.inspectionxpert.com/blog/how-to-read-a-feature-control-frame?hsLang=en

Feature Control Frame by GD&T Basics & Engineer Essentials – https://www.gdandtbasics.com/feature-

control-frame

GD&T Symbols Reference Guide by GD&T Basics & Engineer Essentials –

https://www.gdandtbasics.com/gdt-symbols/