Limits Fits and Tolerance

Two extreme permissible sizes of a part between which the actual size is contained are called limits. The
relationship existing between two parts which are to be assembled with respect to the difference on
their sizes before assembly is called a fit. Tolerance is defined as the total permissible variation of a size.
It is the difference between maximum limit and minimum limit of size.

1.2 Fits

When two parts are to be assembled the relation resulting from the difference between their sizes
before assembly is called a fit. The fit signifies the range of tightness or looseness which may result from
the application of a specific combination of allowances and tolerances in the design of mating parts.

1.2.1 Types of Fits

A datum is a plane, a straight line, or a point that is used as a reference when processing a material or
measuring the dimensions of a target.

A datum feature simulator is the manufacturing or inspection equipment contacting the datum feature
of the part. Datum feature simulators are used to establish the simulated datums. A simulated datum is
a point, axis or plane established from the actual surface of the datum feature simulator

First thing first, you can not simply show any GD & T without a feature control frame. The feature
control frame is the medium through which you can communicate the GD&T types and values in
engineering drawings. So feature control frames play a very important role in the drafting world

Datum targets

Surfaces produced by forging casting or sheet metal may be subject to bowing, warping or twisting, and
not necessarily be flat. It is therefore impractical to designate an entire surface as a functional datum
because accurate and repeatable measurements cannot be made from the entire surface.

In order to define a practical datum plane, selected points or areas are indicated on the drawing.
Manufacturing processes and inspection utilizes these combined points or areas as datums.

Datum target symbols

The symbol for a datum target is a circle divided by a horizontal line (see Fig. 22.36). The lower part
identifies the datum target. The upper area may be used only for information relating to datum target.

Indication of datum targets

If the datum target is:

(a)

a point, it is indicated by a cross …………… X.

(b)

a line, it is indicated by two crosses connected by a thin line ……………………… X ————X.

(c)

an area, it is indicated by a hatched area surrounded by a thin double dashed chain

Leader Arrow – This arrow points to the feature that the geometric control is placed on. (Extension Line
or no line as shown)

Geometric Symbol – This is where your geometric control is specified. See our page on GD&T symbols
for a description of each symbol.

Diameter Symbol (if required) – If the geometric control is a diametrical tolerance, then the diameter
symbol (Ø) will be in front of the tolerance value.

Tolerance Value – The TOTAL tolerance of the geometric control. The unit of measure is based on the
drawing standard.

Feature of Size or Tolerance Modifiers (if required) – This is where you call out any tolerance modifiers
in the feature control frame. See the Modifiers section of the GD&T Symbols page for further
clarification on these features.

Primary Datum Feature Reference (if required) – If a datum is required, this is the main datum feature
used for the GD&T control. 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.
Note: The order of the datum is important for measurement of the part.

Secondary Datum Feature Reference (if required) – If a secondary datum is required, it will be
referenced to the right of the primary datum feature reference. This letter corresponds to a feature
somewhere on the part which will be marked with the same letter. During measurement, this is the
datum fixated after the primary datum.

Tertiary Datum Feature Reference (if required) – If a third datum is required, it will be referenced to the
right of the secondary datum feature reference. This letter corresponds to a feature somewhere on the
part which will be marked with the same letter. During measurement, this is the datum fixated las