Tolerances of Form and Profile

Form tolerances
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Form characteristics
These characteristics are used to
describe form tolerances of single surface,
element, or size features and relate to a
perfect geometric counterpart of itself.
(Lowell Foster, Geo-Metrics II, 1986, p 33)
They are never related to a datum.

Straightness tolerance
Perfect Straightness: A condition
where an element of a surface or an
axis is in a straight line
Straightness tolerance specifies a
zone within which the required surface
element or axis must lie
A form tolerance never related to a
datum

Surface straightness cylindrical

object feature control frame
placement

Rule 1 applies: Perfect form is required at

MMC

Connection
with a leader is
preferred

Example 5-2

Connection to an
extension line is also
allowed
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Surface straightness shape of

the tolerance zone

Example 5-2

Applies to each
element of the surface
(360 around for a
cylinder)
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Illustration of surface
straightness

Figure from Interpreting Engineering Drawings by Cecil Howard Jensen

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Effect of surface straightness

Example 5-2
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Axis straightness
This is the exception to Rule 1
perfect form is not required at MMC

Example 5-3

Diameter symbol indicates

cylindrical tolerance zone
Feature control frame is placed
below diameter dimension
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Axis straightness shape of

tolerance zone

Axis of feature

Example 5-3
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Effect of axis straightness RFS

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Effect of axis straightness MMC

Again, this is the exception to Rule 1
perfect form is not required at MMC

Bonus
tolerance is
added as size
departs from
MMC
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Unit straightness
Controls straightness of specified unit
portions of the feature
Normally used in conjunction with a
straightness tolerance for the entire feature
length
Prevents extreme variations in straightness of the
entire feature

Prevents abrupt surface or axis variations

within relatively short lengths

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Unit straightness

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Straightness of non-cylindrical
symmetrical features
Center plane must lie between two parallel planes
separated by distance equal to the straightness
tolerance.

Center
plane of
feature

No symbol,
so tolerance
zone is two
parallel planes

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Straightness of a flat
surface
Direction of
tolerance zone
determined by
placement of
feature control
frame

Each parallel
element

Each parallel
element

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Straightness of a surface curved

in one direction

Figure from Interpreting Engineering Drawings by Cecil Howard Jensen

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Straightness of a surface
conical

Figure from Interpreting Engineering Drawings by Cecil Howard Jensen

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Application - straightness

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Application - straightness

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Application - straightness

Diameter symbol indicates

cylindrical tolerance zone (axis
control)
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Flatness tolerance
Perfect Flatness: A condition of a surface
where all the elements are in one plane
Flatness tolerance establishes the
distance between two parallel planes within
which all elements of the surface must lie
A form tolerance never related to a datum
Always regardless of feature size (RFS)

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Flatness placement of feature

control frame
Connected by a leader or an extension line
Placed in the view where the surface
appears as a line

Example 5-8

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Flatness the tolerance

zone
Two parallel
planes

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Specific area flatness

Controls flatness for only part of a
surface
Can save money since only part of
the surface may require finishing
Area is outlined by
a phantom line

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Specific area flatness

specifying on drawing
Can also use toleranced
dimensions

Section
lines
Phantom
lines

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Unit flatness
Controls the flatness of specified unit
portions of a surface
Normally used in conjunction with a
straightness tolerance for the entire
feature length
Prevents abrupt surface or axis variations
within relatively short lengths

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Application flatness

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Application flatness with unit

flatness

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Circularity tolerance
Perfect Circularity: Any cross section
taken perpendicular to the axis of a cylinder,
cone, or sphere is a perfect circle.
Circularity tolerance establishes a radius
zone, creating two concentric circles within
which the actual cross section must lie.
A form tolerance never related to a datum
Always regardless of feature size (RFS)

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Circularity the tolerance

zone
Two concentric circles,
separated radically by the
given circularity tolerance

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Applications of circularity
tolerance
Can place in longitudinal view or
view where surface appears as a
circle

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Circularity and free state

variation
Free state variation: The distortion of a part after
removal of forces applied during manufacture
Circularity tolerance must be less than the size
tolerance, except for parts subject to free state
variation.
This can happen with thin-wall parts that may be
affected by stresses induced during manufacturing
that are thus considered nonrigid.
A nonrigid part may have to meet tolerances in its
free state, in a constrained condition (e.g. connected
to a simulated mating part), or in both conditions.

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Free state variation for

circularity
Free state symbol

Since part is nonrigid,

average diameter is
specified

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Application - circularity

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Application - circularity

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Application circularity with

free state variation

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Cylindricity tolerance
Cylindricity tolerance establishes a
radius zone, creating two concentric
cylinders within which all elements of
the actual surface must lie
A form tolerance never related to a
datum
Always regardless of feature size (RFS)

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Cylindricity the tolerance

zone

Two
concentric
cylinders

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Application - cylindricity

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Application - cylindricity

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Could we use cylindricity?

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Could we use cylindricity?

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Hope these quotes dont apply to your

class experience (see if you can guess
who said them)
"If I seem unduly clear to you, you must have
misunderstood what I said."
"I know you believe you understand what you
think I said, but I am not sure you realize that
what you heard is not what I meant.

44

Answer Alan Greenspan

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Hope this quote does apply to this

class
"The human brain is unique in that it is the
only container of which it can be said that
the more you put into it, the more it will
hold."

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Answer Glen Doman

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Profile tolerances

You are here

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Profile tolerance
Profile tolerances control the form
and/or orientation of straight lines or
surfaces, arcs, and irregular curves.

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Profile tolerance (cont.)

Profile: The outline of an object
True profile: The actual desired shape of
the object and the basis for the profile
tolerance. Normally defined by basic
dimensions or electronic data (e.g. CAD
model)
Profile tolerance: Specifies a uniform
boundary along the true profile within which
the elements of the surface must lie
Profile tolerances are bilateral (distributed
equally about both sides of the true profile)
unless otherwise noted.

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Profile tolerance (cont.)

Most versatile geometric tolerance
May be used to control form or combinations of
size, form, and orientation
As a result, is very useful as the default tolerance
for 3D electronic definition (definition with no 2D
drawing)

Two profile geometric tolerance characteristics

Profile of a line
Profile of a surface

Example 5-19

Profile of a line

Example 5-19

Profile of a surface
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Profile of a line
Profile of a line: A two-dimensional
or cross-sectional geometric
tolerance that extends along the
length of a feature.

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Profile of a line the tolerance

zone

Bilateral unless
otherwise noted

Example 5-21
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Profile of a line - between two

points

Example 5-20

Profile tolerance only

applies to this surface
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Locating the profile tolerance zone

basic dimension vs. +/dimension

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Locating the profile tolerance zone

basic dimension vs. +/- dimension
(cont.)

Example 5-20

Tolerance zone can float within

limits of size
but tolerance zone must remain
oriented to datum A
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Profile of a line - all around

Tolerance zone goes around entire
object

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Unilateral profile of a line

Phantom line
parallel to true
profile, on side
where tolerance
zone is
intended

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Profile of a surface
Profile of a surface: Controls an
entire surface as a single entity.

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Profile of a surface the

tolerance zone

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Profile of a surface - between

two points

Profile tolerance only

applies to this surface

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Profile of a surface - all

around

All around
symbol

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Unilateral profile of a surface

The entire profile tolerance zone is

on one side of the true profile.

Phantom line
parallel to true
profile, on side
where tolerance
zone is
intended

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Profile as a coplanar control two

surfaces

Coplanar surfaces: Two or more

surfaces on the same plane

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Profile as a coplanar control more

than two surfaces
May be desirable to establish a datum
plane with two surfaces & reference the
datum for the other surfaces

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Controlling angular orientation

with surface profile

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Controlling conical features with

surface profile
May be used
independently or
as a refinement to
size
Used without a
datum reference,
controls form
Used with a
datum reference,
controls
orientation

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Composite profile tolerance

Upper part locates
the features from
the datums
Lower part controls
the feature itself

Example 5-31
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Composite profile tolerance the tolerance

zones

0.2 tolerance
zone may float
within the 0.6
zone, but must
remain oriented
to A & B

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Specifying basic dimensions in a

note

Example 5-25
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Application profile of a surface

tolerance

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Application profile of a surface

tolerance

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Application profile of a line

tolerance
A

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