Interpreting Fits and

Tolerances
By: William B.
Moring
INTRODUCTION
1. Why study Tolerances & Fits ?
•Exact size is impossible to achieve.
qNo feature of a component can be perfect (i.e., no
surface flat, no hole round etc), because of the
manufacturing
•Establish process
boundaries .
within which deviation from
perfect form is allowed yet still fulfill its design
intent.
qThus, when dimensioning any feature
• §Basic nominal dimension
§Permitted variability (tolerance)
• §Dimensions should be given in as large
a tolerances as possible without
• interfering with the function of the
• part to reduce production costs.

•Enable interchangeability of engineering components

during assembly.
Fit s-
Terms
Nominal Is the desired size without
size : attached deviations.
Fit s-
Terms
Tolerance Is the nominal size with
Dimensions : attached deviations.
 Tolerance
Tolerances are used to control the variation in size
that exists on all manufactured parts.
The amount that a size is allowed to vary depends on
the function of the part & its assembly.
electric drill vs. jet engine
The more accuracy required in a part (smaller
tolerance) the greater the cost.
Tolerances allow for interchangeable parts, which
permits the replacement of individual parts in an
assembly instead of replacing the whole system if a
part goes bad or fails.
Tolerance
Tolerance is the total amount a dimension may
vary. It is the difference between the maximum
size and the minimum size.
Tolerances can be expressed on a drawing in
several ways:
a general tolerance note in the
titleblock.
direct limits, or as tolerance values
applied directly to a dimension.
geometric tolerances
notes referring to specific conditions
Fit s-
Terms
Actual Is the manufactured
size : measurable size
 Limits of Size
Unilateral Limits occurs when both maximum limit and minimum limit are
either above or below the basic size. +0.05
e.g. Ø38
- 0.05

Nom. Size = 38.00 mm

Upper Limit = 38.05 mm
Upper Limits

Lower Limit = 37.95 mm

Lower Limit
Nominal Size

Tolerance = 0.10 mm

e.g. Ø25 -0.10

-0.20

Basic Size = 25.00 mm

Upper Limits

Upper Limit = 24.90 mm

Lower Limit

Lower Limit = 24.80 mm

Nominal

Tolerance = 0.10 mm
Size
 Limits of Size
For Unilateral Limits, a case may occur when one of the limits coincides
with the basic size,
e.g. Ø25 +0.20 , Ø25 0
0 -0.10

Bilateral Limits occur when the maximum limit is above and the
minimum limit is below the basic size.

e.g. Ø25 ±0.04

Basic Size = 25.00 mm
Upper Limit = 25.04 mm
Upper Limits

Lower Limit

Lower Limit = 24.96 mm

Basic Size

Tolerance = 0.08 mm
General
Tolerances
Are divided into nominal size ranges ,
tolerances classes ( fine , medium , coarse ) and
apply for all measurement without specified
tolerance zone
 ISO Tolerance
System
ISO Tolerances For
Fasteners

The tolerance class is signified by a upper or lower

case alphabet for the deviation ( H, j etc.. ) and by
Mechanical Tolerance Standards Menu

the number for the grade of tolerance ( 7). Because

the ISO norm is a international standard, dimensions
toleranced this way all over the world
Size
over to
Tolerance Zone in mm (External Features)
m6 h6 h8 h10 h11 h13 h14 h15 h16
0 1 +0.002 0 0 0 0 0
+0.008 -0.006 -0.014 -0.040 -0.060 -0.14

1 3 +0.002 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
+0.008 -0.006 -0.014 -0.040 -0.060 -0.14 -0.25 -0.40 -0.60

3 6 +0.004 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
+0.012 -0.008 -0.018 -0.048 -0.075 -0.18 -0.30 -0.48 -0.75

6 10 +0.006 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
+0.015 -0.009 -0.022 -0.058 -0.090 -0.22 -0.36 -0.58 -0.90

10 18 +0.007 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
+0.018 -0.011 -0.027 -0.070 -0.110 -0.27 -0.43 -0.70 -1.10

Size 18 30 Size+0.008
+0.021
Tolerance
Tolerance Zone Zone in
in mm 0
-0.030
mm (Internal Features)
(External 0
-0.033
0
-0.084
0
-0.130
0
-0.33
0
-0.52
0
-0.84
0
-1.30

over to H7 H8 H9 H11 H13 H14

over 30

50
to 50

80 0
Features)
js14 1 js15 js16 js17
+0.010 +0.014 +0.025 +0.060 +0.14
0
-0.39
0
0
-0.62
0
0
-1.00
0
0
-1.60
0

1 3 +0.125 +0.20 +0.30 0 +0.50

-0.46 -0.74 -1.20 -1.90
80 120 0 0 0 0 0
-0.54
0
-0.87
0
-1.40
0
-2.20

3 6 1+0.15 3 +0.24 +0.375

+0.010 +0.014 +0.60
+0.025 +0.060 +0.14 +0.25
0 0 0 0 0 0
6 10 3
+0.18 6
+0.29 +0.45 +0.75
+0.012 +0.018 +0.030 +0.075 +0.18 +0.30
10 18 +0.215 +0.35
0 0 +0.55
0 0 +0.90 0 0
18 30 6+0.26 10 +0.42 +0.65
+0.015 +0.022 +1.05
+0.036 +0.090 +0.22 +0.36
0 0 0 0 0 0
30 50 +0.31
10 18
+0.50 +0.80 +1.25
+0.018 +0.027 +0.043 +0.110 +0.27 +0.43