Welcome to a Course On

Tolerance Stack-up Analysis using Co-ordinate

System of Dimensioning and GD&T

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 How is Course Organized?

Total 10 Sessions; 3days

Pre-defined objectives at the beginning of each
session
Classroom exercises at the end of each session
Homework
Extended hours as necessary
Assumption : Understanding of GD&T controls
Feel free to interrupt and ask Questions

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 Classical Approach to Tolerance Stack-up
Analysis …

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 What is Tolerance Stack-up Analysis?

Tolerance Stack-up Analysis (also called as Gap

Analysis / Loop Diagrams / Circuit Analysis or COD
(Chain of Dimensions)) is the process of calculating minimum
and maximum airspaces or wall thickness or material
interferences in a single part or assemblies.

It’s a Decision making tool and helps designer to answer one or

more questions shown in next slides.
It is a logical process divided in few steps …

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 Typically, Tolerance Stack-up Provides
answers to …

Will these two surfaces touch in their worst case? If so, how much they
will interfere?
What is maximum thickness of the two parts that must fit in the slot?
Will the pin fit within the hole?
How do I know if the worst case assembly will satisfy its dimensional
objectives.
If we reduce the size of clearance hole, will the parts still assemble?
Will the dimensioning and tolerancing scheme used on the parts, allow
too much variation at assembly? Should the drawing be re-dimensioned
and re-toleranced to reduce the accumulation of tolerances?
….
….

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 Why Perform Tolerance Stack-up?

A Tolerance Stackup allows the designer to:

– Optimize the tolerances of parts and assemblies in a new design.

– Balance accuracy, precision and cost with manufacturing process capability
– Determine part tolerances required to satisfy a final assembly condition.
– Determine the allowable part tolerances if the assembly tolerance is known.
– Determine if parts will work at their worst-case or with the maximum statistical
variation.
– Troubleshoot malfunctioning existing parts or assemblies.
– Determine effect of changing a tolerance will have on assembly function
– Explore design alternatives using different or modified parts or tooling/fixturing
methods.

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 Factors affecting Tolerance Stack-up
Analysis

There are four major factors that determine which dimensions and tolerances
are included in a Tolerance Stack-up:

The geometry of parts and assemblies that contribute to the distance (objective)
being studied in the Tolerance Stack-up.
The Dimensioning and Tolerancing schemes on the drawing of the parts and
assemblies in the Tolerance Stack-up.
The assembly process: how and and which order the parts are assembled?
The direction of tolerance stack-up and direction of the dimensions and tolerances.

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 Basic Assumptions in Tolerance Stack-up
Analysis : Problem Idealization

Tolerance Stack-ups are preformed with following assumptions:

– All parts are considered in a static state. The tolerance stack-up allows parts
to adjust (translate/rotate) relative to one another during assembly process,
but the analysis is performed in a static condition.
If more than one position or configuration of part/assembly to be studied (such as linkage or
mechanism), then, tolerance stack-up should be done for the considered parts at each
required position or orientation/configuration.

– Tolerance Stack-ups are performed at a specified temperature. Unless

specified otherwise, Tolerance stack-ups are performed at ambient
temperature – the temperature at which the parts are assembled or inspected.
If parts are assembled at one temperature and operate at different temperatures, it is
important to study both conditions, as the parts must be assembled before they can operate.

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 Steps in Tolerance Stack-up Analysis

Step #1:
– Identify objectives: what are your end requirements? Such as
flushness between features or gaps around a feature or
alignment of features

Step #2:
– Identify all dimensions that contribute to your objectives as
defined in step #1 and convert them to equal bilateral
toleranced dimensions; as necessary

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 Steps in Tolerance Stack-up Analysis …

Step #3:
– Assign each dimension a +ve or –ve value. For Radial stacks
(going up and down); start at the bottom of gap and end up at
the top of gap
– Down direction is –ve (top of gap to bottom)
– Up direction is +ve (bottom of gap to top OR towards end)
– Stacks that go left and right in the assembly, start at the left
side of gap and end up at the right side of the gap.
– Left direction is –ve (right of gap to left)
– Right direction is +ve (left of gap to right OR towards end)

Remember to work on one part at a time; so deal with that part’s pertinent
features before moving to next part. This approach is best to work with
assemblies having many parts

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 Steps in Tolerance Stack-up Analysis …

Step #4 (Basic Rules):

– When a single feature or a pattern of features are controlled by
multiple Geometric Tolerances (such as orientation refined
with position), the analyst must determine which, if either is
contributing factor to variable. It is likely that none of geometric
tolerance is a factor and instead size dimensions are factors.

– The Designer must evaluate which factors are relevant through

diagrams and logical reasoning.

– The judgment of designer is critical in these determinations.

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 Beginning Tolerance Stack-up Analysis

Its important to arrange all the features and parts in the directions
that will create the max or min gap / or variable you are searching
for. This is to allow your loop always pass through material and
you do not jump over an air space unnecessarily in analysis

You should position the features of the parts against each other so
that you will get extreme configurations and make clear to you the
correct path with +ve v/s –ve designations for each dimension.

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 Session #1 : The Basics

Objectives:

Calculating mean dimensions with equal Bilateral

Tolerances
Calculating Inner and Outer Boundaries
Virtual and Resultant Condition of features

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 Finding Mean Dimensions

Few Important Concepts of Tolerance Stack-up Analysis:

– There is NO difference between equal, unequal or unilaterally

toleranced dimension.
– There is NO difference between a limit dimension and a plus
or minus toleranced dimension.
– They all have extremes and they all have means. So, first thing
is to change any dimension to an equal bilateral toleranced
dimension.

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 Finding Mean Dimensions

Limit dimensions:

n22-
n22-n20

Upper limit = n22, Lower limit = n20

Now, sum the limits : n22 + n20 = n42. Take the mean of sum = n21
Take the difference of limits: n22 - n20 = n2. Take the mean of difference = n1

Therefore, limit dimension of n22-n20 is expressed as equal bilateral toleranced dimension

as n21`1

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 Finding Mean Dimensions

Unequal bilateral toleranced dimensions:

n50
+1
-3

So, Upper limit = n50+1= n51

Lower limit = n50-3= n47

Now, sum the limits : n51 + n47 = n98. Mean of sum is n98/2 = n49
Then, take the difference of limits : n51 - n47 = n4. Mean of difference is n4/2 = n2

n50
+1
Therefore, unequal bilateral toleranced dimension of -3

converted to equal bilateral toleranced dimension is n49`2

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 Finding Mean Dimensions : Exercise

Convert following Dimensions to an equal bilateral toleranced dimensions

1. φ100 +−13
2. φ150 − φ155
+2
3. 200 0

4. φ 30 0
− 0.47
+ 0.26
5. 500 − 0.37

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 Boundaries

Boundaries are generated by collective effects of size and

Geometric tolerances applied to feature(s) and often
referred to as simply inner and outer boundaries

There are two types of boundaries:

Virtual Condition Boundary (VCB)

Resultant Condition Boundary (RCB)

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 Virtual Condition Boundaries (Refer ASME Y14.5M-1994
section 2.11)

FCFs that use m (MMC symbol), generate constant

boundaries (VCB) for features under consideration and
are calculated as:

– VCB for internal FOS such as hole = MMC Size Boundary –

Geometric Tolerance value

– VCB for external FOS such as pin = MMC Size boundary +

Geometric Tolerance

VC Boundaries are Constant and do not vary based upon actual

mating size of the feature

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 Virtual Condition Boundaries (Refer ASME Y14.5M-
1994 section 2.11)

FCFs that use l (LMC symbol), generate constant

boundaries (VCB) for features under consideration and
are calculated as:

– VCB for internal FOS such as hole = LMC Size Boundary +

Geometric Tolerance value

– VCB for external FOS such as pin = LMC Size boundary -

Geometric Tolerance.

VC Boundaries are Constant and do not vary based upon actual

mating size of the feature

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 Resultant Condition Boundaries (Refer ASME
Y14.5M-1994 section 2.11)

RC Boundaries are non constant in nature and are

generated on opposite side of the virtual conditions.

When RFS (Regardless of Feature Size) concept

applies to FOS, they generate only non-constant or RC
boundaries.

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 Case#1: Internal FOS controlled at MMC

Hole – MMC Concept

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 Case#1: Calculating VC & RC boundaries

Hole
Size − GTol = VirtualCondition( FixedBoundary )
φ 49 − 1 = φ 48
φ 50 − 2 = φ 48
φ 51 − 3 = φ 48 → Worst case inner boundary

Hole
Size + GTol = Re sul tan tConditon(VariableBoundary )
φ 49 + 1 = φ 50
φ 50 + 2 = φ 52
φ 51 + 3 = φ 54 → Worst case outer boundary

VCB for internal FOS (such as hole) controlled at MMC = MMC Size Boundary – Geometric
Tolerance value
VCB for external FOS (such as pin) controlled at MMC = MMC Size boundary + Geometric
Tolerance value
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 Case#1: Creating equal Bilateral Toleranced
Dimension from VCB and RCB

Resultant condition of hole φ 54

+ Virtual condition of hole φ 48
SUM φ102

Resultant condition of hole φ 54

- Virtual condition of hole φ 48
DIFFERENCE φ6
Then, So, φ 51 ± 3
6 Is an equal bilateral expression
102 & =3 of the dimension and its
= 51 2 tolerance
2

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 Case#2: Internal FOS controlled at LMC

Hole – LMC Concept

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 Case#2: Calculating VC & RC boundaries

Hole
Size + GTol = VirtualCondition( FixedBoundary )
φ 51 + 1 = φ 52
φ 50 + 2 = φ 52
φ 49 + 3 = φ 52 → Worst case outer boundary

Hole
Size − GTol = Re sul tan tConditon(VariableBoundary )
φ 51 − 1 = φ 50
φ 50 − 2 = φ 48
φ 49 − 3 = φ 46 → Worst case inner boundary

VCB for internal FOS (such as hole) controlled at LMC = LMC Size Boundary
+Geometric Tolerance value
VCB for external FOS (such as pin) controlled at LMC = LMC Size boundary -
Geometric Tolerance value
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 Case#2: Creating equal Bilateral Toleranced
Dimension from VCB and RCB

Resultant condition of hole φ 46

+ Virtual condition of hole φ 52
SUM φ 98

Resultant condition of hole φ 46

- Virtual condition of hole φ 52
DIFFERENCE φ6
Then, So, φ 49 ± 3
6 Is an equal bilateral expression
98 & =3 of the dimension and its
= 49 2 tolerance
2

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 Case#3: Internal FOS controlled at RFS

Hole – RFS Concept

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 Case#3: Calculating RC boundaries

Since it’s a RFS Callout, no virtual condition

boundaries exist and all boundaries are non-constant

Hole
Size − GTol = InnerBoundry
φ 49 − 1 = φ 48 → Worst case Inner boundary
φ 50 − 1 = φ 49
φ 51 − 1 = φ 50

Hole
Size + GTol = OuterBoundary
φ 49 + 1 = φ 50
φ 50 + 1 = φ 51
φ 51 + 1 = φ 52 → Worst case Outer boundary

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 Case#3: Creating equal Bilateral Toleranced
Dimension from Inner and Outer Boundaries

Outer Boundary of hole φ 52

+ Inner Boundary of hole φ 48
SUM φ100

Outer Boundary of hole φ 52

- Inner Boundary of hole φ 48
DIFFERENCE φ4
Then, So, φ 50 ± 2
4 Is an equal bilateral expression
100 & =2 of the dimension and its
= 50 2 tolerance
2

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 Case#4: External FOS Controlled at MMC

Shaft – MMC Concept

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 Case#4: Calculating VC & RC boundaries

Shaft
Size + GTol = VirtualCondition( FixedBoundary )
φ 47 + 1 = φ 48
φ 46 + 2 = φ 48
φ 45 + 3 = φ 48 → Worst case outer boundary

Shaft
Size − GTol = Re sul tan tConditon(VariableBoundary )
φ 47 − 1 = φ 46
φ 46 − 2 = φ 44
φ 45 − 3 = φ 42 → Worst case inner boundary

VCB for internal FOS (such as hole) controlled at MMC = MMC Size Boundary – Geometric
Tolerance value
VCB for external FOS (such as pin) controlled at MMC = MMC Size boundary + Geometric
Tolerance value
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 Case#4: Creating equal Bilateral Toleranced
Dimension from VCB and RCB

Resultant Condition of Shaft φ 42

+ Virtual Condition of Shaft φ 48
SUM φ 90

Resultant Condition of Shaft φ 42

- Virtual Condition of Shaft φ 48
DIFFERENCE φ6
Then, So, φ 45 ± 3
6 Is an equal bilateral expression
90 & =3 of the dimension and its
= 45 2 tolerance
2

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 Case#5: External FOS controlled at LMC

Shaft – LMC Concept

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 Case#5: Calculating VC & RC boundaries

Shaft
Size − GTol = VirtualCondition( FixedBoundary )
φ 45 − 1 = φ 44
φ 46 − 2 = φ 44
φ 47 − 3 = φ 44 → Worst case inner boundary

Shaft
Size + GTol = Re sul tan tConditon(VariableBoundary )
φ 45 + 1 = φ 46
φ 46 + 2 = φ 48
φ 47 + 3 = φ 50 → Worst case outer boundary

VCB for internal FOS (such as hole) controlled at LMC = LMC Size Boundary
+Geometric Tolerance value
VCB for external FOS (such as pin) controlled at LMC = LMC Size boundary -
Geometric Tolerance value

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 Case#5: Creating equal Bilateral Toleranced
Dimension from VCB and RCB

Resultant Condition of Shaft φ 50

+ Virtual Condition of Shaft φ 44
SUM φ 94

Resultant Condition of Shaft φ 50

- Virtual Condition of Shaft φ 44
DIFFERENCE φ6
Then, So, φ 47 ± 3
6 Is an equal bilateral expression
94 & =3 of the dimension and its
= 47 2 tolerance
2

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 Case#6: External FOS controlled at RFS

Shaft – RFS Concept

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 Case#6: Calculating RC boundaries

Since it’s a RFS Callout, no virtual condition

boundaries exist and all boundaries are non-constant

Shaft
Size + GTol = OuterBoundry
φ 45 + 1 = φ 46
φ 46 + 1 = φ 47
φ 47 + 1 = φ 48 → Worst case Outer boundary

Shaft
Size − GTol = InnerBoundary
φ 45 − 1 = φ 44 → Worst case Inner boundary
φ 46 − 1 = φ 45
φ 47 − 1 = φ 46

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 Case#6: Creating equal Bilateral Toleranced
Dimension from Inner and Outer Boundaries

Outer Boundary of Shaft φ 48

+ Inner Boundary of Shaft φ 44
SUM φ 92

Outer Boundary of Shaft φ 48

- Inner Boundary of Shaft φ 44
DIFFERENCE φ4
Then, So, φ 46 ± 2
4 Is an equal bilateral expression
92 & =2 of the dimension and its
= 46 2 tolerance
2

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 Formulae to Remember…

For Internal FOS controlled at MMC / LMC:

VCB at MMC (IB) = MMC Size Boundary – Geometric Tolerance value at MMC
VCB at LMC (OB) = LMC Size Boundary + Geometric Tolerance value at LMC

For External FOS controlled at MMC / LMC:

VCB at MMC (OB) = MMC Size boundary + Geometric Tolerance value at MMC
VCB at LMC (IB) = LMC Size boundary - Geometric Tolerance value at LMC

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 Finding Inner & Outer Boundaries : Exercise

Calculate Inner and Outer boundary for features having following specifications

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