GD&T

Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing

Reference Material

Drafted by
DARSHAN S N

Rectangle Automotive Technologies LLP

Drawing
Describing any object/ information diagrammatically (artistic way –rose)

Product design Sketching/Drawing

Describing any product in its aesthetics.
To create a new product to be sold by a business to its customers(car)

Engineering Drawing
Graphical means of expression of technical details without the barrier of a language.
Universal language for engineers
A drawing of an object that contains all information, like actual shape, accurate size,
manufacturing methods, etc., required for its construction.

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 Purpose of Engineering Drawing
Intended to convey information from designer to the manufacturer & the inspector.
Contains type of material, shape & size of parts.
It must contain all information necessary for the part to be correctly manufactured.
It must enable the inspector to ascertain whether a part is acceptable or not.

WHAT IS GD&T?
GD&T is an international language used to accurately describe a part in
engineering drawings.
The language consists of well-defined
 Set of symbols
Rules
Definitions
Conventions
that can be used to describe the size, form orientation and location
tolerances of a part features.

ADVANTAGES OF GD&T
Understanding how to apply and interpret GD&T correctly will help to:
•Create clear & concise drawings.
•Create drawings that reduce guesswork and assumptions in the manufacturing process
and inspection.
•Effectively communicate or interpret design requirements for suppliers.
•Improve product design.
•It avoids tolerance build ups.
•It reduces assembly problems.

Dimensioning can be divided into three categories:

•general dimensioning,
•geometric dimensioning, and
•surface texture.

STANDARDS

ISO 1101 -GPS

ASME Y14.5 M -2009 (Geometrical Product Specifications)
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BASIC TERMINOLOGY:

Feature is the general term applied to a physical portion of a part, such as a surface, pin,
hole, or slot.

A feature of size is one cylindrical or spherical surface, or a set of two opposed elements or
opposed parallel surfaces, associated with a size dimension.

Basic Dimension
A basic dimension is a numerical value used to describe the theoretically exact size, profile,
orientation, or location of a feature or datum target. Basic dimensions are used to define or
position tolerance zones.

Datum
A datum is a theoretically exact point, line, or plane derived from the true geometric
counterpart of a specified datum feature. A datum is the origin from which the location or
geometric characteristics of features of a part are established.

Datum feature
A datum feature is an actual feature on a part used to establish a datum.

Least Material Condition (LMC)

The least material condition of a feature of size is the least amount of material within the
stated limits of size. For example, the minimum shaft diameter or the maximum hole
diameter.

Maximum material condition (MMC)

The maximum material condition of a feature of size is the maximum amount of material
within the stated limits of size, for example, the maximum shaft diameter or the minimum
hole diameter.

True position
True position is the theoretically exact location of a feature established by basic dimensions.
Tolerance zones are located at true position.

Virtual condition
The virtual condition of a feature specified at MMC is a constant boundary generated by
the collective effects of the MMC limit of size of a feature and the specified geometric
tolerance. Features specified with an LMC modifier also have a virtual condition.

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Each geometric control for a feature is conveyed on the drawing by a
rectangular sign is called a feature control frame.

Geometric dimensioning and Tolerancing is applied on a drawing via these feature control
frames. It’s a rectangle which is divided into compartments within which geometric
characteristic symbol, tolerance value, modifiers, and datum references are placed. These
feature control frames may attached below dimensions or to a datum reference or to a feature
with a leader.

Reading the feature control frame

1st Compartment– “ The.....”
2nd Compartment– “.....of this feature shall be within....”
3rd Compartment– “.....to the primary datum.....”
4th Compartment— “....and to second datum.....”
5th Compartment– “ and to tertiary datum......”

The position of this feature shall be within diameter 0.030 to primary

datum A and to secondary datum B and tertiary datum C at
maximum material condition.

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Rule #1
Unless otherwise specified, the limits of size of an individual feature of
size control the form of the feature as well as the size.
Let us now discuss two fundamental rules of GD&T.

Rule #1
Rule #1 states that where only a tolerance of size is specified, the limits of size of an individual
feature of size prescribe the extent to which variations in its geometric form, as well as its size,
are allowed. No element of a feature shall extend beyond the MMC boundary of perfect form.
The form tolerance increases as the actual size of the feature departs from MMC toward LMC.
There is no perfect form boundary requirement at LMC

The simplest meaning of rule #1 is at MMC the feature is on perfect form. For example
consider a shaft with diameter Ø5.000-Ø5.040. Then its MMC is Ø5.040. Now assume we have
this part produced at Ø5.040 then according to rule #1 the part should be in perfect form. That
is it should have perfect straightness, circularity and cylindricity.

Rule #2
Rule #2 states that RFS automatically applies, in a feature control frame, to individual tolerances of
size features and to datum features of size. MMC and LMC must be specified when these
conditions are required.

Now examine rule #2, here also lets assume a stepped shaft with Ø5.000 and Ø3.000-Ø3.004. The
bigger diameter is assigned as datum (Say C) and the smaller diameter Ø3.000 is controlled by a
concentric geometric tolerance and this tolerance is applied without any dimensional size
constraints i.e. regardless of feature size (RFS)

DATUMS

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DATUMS

A datum is a theoretically exact point, axis, or plane derived from the true
geometric counter part of a specified datum feature.
A datum is the origin from which the location or geometric characteristics of features
of a part are established.

Primary Datum- Supports the part at 3-

points
Secondary Datum- Aligns the part at 2-
points
Tertiary Datum- Stops movement at 1-
1.000 point

Here A & B are datums

HOW TO SELECT DATUM

Datum features are selected based on the function & assembly.

Datum features often orient & locate the part in assembly.

Part is clamped on surface A and is located on B

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TYPES OF DATUM

Functional Datum
•simulated datum
•Qualified datum Non –Functional
•Compound datum Datum- Datum targets
•Offset compound
datum
•Equalising datum
•Assumed datum

Functional datums:
These are datums features called out on an engineering drawing that are directly to part fit,
form and function in the assembly.

Non functional datums:

Datum features that usually have little to do with part function.

Example: The datum targets used on a casting for the purpose of identifying how the casting
shall be contacted at machining operations.

HOW TO PUT THE DATUM SYMBOL IN DRAWINGS

1. On a surface

2. On an axis

3. On a point or hole’s axis

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GEOMETRIC TOLERANCE ZONES
AREA
•Within a circle
•Between two concentric circles
•Between two parallel lines

Space
•Within cylinder
•Within sphere
•Between two coaxial cylinders
•Between two parallel planes/ surfaces

GD&T SYMBOLS

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 Hierarchy of GD&T

• Location is the most general form of control. It controls both orientation and form.

• Orientation is a refinement of location. It is used when position control is insufficient.

• Form is a refinement of orientation. It is used when orientation control is insufficient.

• Form tol < orientation tol < location tol

LOCATION

ORIENTATION

FORM

GEOMETRIC TOLERANCE ZONES

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 FORM AND ORIENTATION TOLERANCE

NOTE: REFER PAGE NO. 10 FOR TOLERANCE TYPES

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 LOCATION AND PROFILE TOLERANCE

NOTE: REFER PAGE NO. 10 FOR TOLERANCE TYPES

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 RUN OUT TOLERANCE

NOTE: REFER PAGE NO. 10 FOR TOLERANCE TYPES

RUN OUT RELATION TO OTHER GD&T SYMBOLS

Circular Runout = Concentricity (axis offset) + total Circularity (out of round)

Runout is the 2D version of total Runout. While it is measured in individual cross sections,
total Runout takes the measurement around and across the surface of the entire part in a 3D
tolerance zone.

Total Runout Controls: Concentricity, Perpendicularity/ Parallelism feature of size axis),

Cylindricity, Circularity, Straightness and of course normal Circular Runout

TOLERANCE ZONE MODIFIERS

 Maximum Material Condition (MMC)

 Least Material Condition(LMC)

 Regardless of Feature Size( RFS)

 Projected Tolerance Zone(P)

 Free State (F)

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A SPECIAL NOTE ON POSITION TOLERANCE
GD&T Tolerance Zone: for Position Tolerance

Gauging / Measurement
Gauging of an Internal Feature

For the true position under

MMC of a hole:
Gauge Ø (pin gauge)=Min Ø of
hole (MMC)-True Position
Tolerance

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Gauging of an External Feature

For true position under

MMC of a pin:
Gauge Ø (hole gauge) =
Max Ø of pin (MMC) +
True Position Tolerance

PROJECTED TOLERANCE ZONE

Interference Diagram, Fastener and Hole

Projected Tolerance Zone specified

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A BRIEF NOTE ON VIRTUAL AND RESULTANT CONDITION

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A BRIEF NOTE ON DATUM SELECTION & DATUME REFERENCE FRAME

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DRAWINGS FROM ASME Y14.5-M 2009

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BOOKS/ REFERENCE MATERIAL

ASME Y14.5-M2009 DOCUMENT

ISO 1101 Standard for GPS
Fundamentals of GD&T by Alex Krulikowski
Geo-Metrics IIIm by Lowell W Foster
Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing by Walter M Stites,
Paul Drake
GD&T Basics.com
Symphonytechnologies.com
GD&T tutorial by Magnitude Engineering solutions.

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