5

GEOMETRICAL DIMENSIONING AND

TOLERANCE (GD&T)

1.1

CONTENT

1. INTRODUCTION
2. EFFECT OF GD&T
3. SPECIFY GD&T
4. BASIC DEFINITIONS
5. GEOMETRIC SYMBOLS
6. FORM TOLERANCE
7. PROFILE TOLERANCE
8. ORIENTATION TOLERANCE
9. RUN OUT TOLERANCE
10. MODIFY SYMBOLS
11. BONUS TOLERANCE
12. SOLVED EXAMPLE
1.2

DEFINITION

5.1

Defined as the maximum permissible overall variation of form or

position of a feature.
The objectives of GD & T are
To specify the required accuracy in controlling the form of a feature
To ensure correct functional positioning
To ensure interchangeability of components
To facilitate the assembly of mating parts.

1.3

WHY GD&T IS NECESSARY

Drawing that does not use GD&T

5.2

Manufacturing part of the drawing

1.4

5.2

Drawing with GD&T

1.5

HOW DOES GD & T ACHIEVE

5.1

A simple four steps to achieve GD & T is :

Identify part surfaces to serve as origins and provide specific rules
explaining hoe these surfaces establish the starting point &
direction for measurement.
Convey the nominal distances & orientations from origins to other
surfaces.
Establish tolerance zones for specific attributes of each surface
along with specific rules for conformance
Allow dynamic interaction b/n tolerances where appropriate to
minimize tolerance.
1.6

SPECIFYING GEOMETRICAL TOLERANCE

5.3

Feature Control Frame Placement :

(a) Place the frame below or attached to a leader-directed callout or dimension
pertaining to the feature.
(b) Run a leader from the frame to the feature.
(c) Attach either side or either end of the frame to an extension line from the
feature, provided it is a plane surface.
(d) Attach either side or either end of the frame to an extension of the dimension
line pertaining to a feature of size.
1.7

DEFINITIONS

5.4

Datum
It is a theoretically exact geometric reference to
which the tolerance features are related.
Datum feature
A datum feature is a feature of a part, such as an edge, surface or a hole
which forms the basis for a datum or is used to establish its locations.
Datum triangle
The datum are indicated by a leader line, terminated in a filled or open
triangle.
Datum letter
To identify a datum for a reference purposes, a capital letter is enclosed in a
frame, connected to the datum triangle.
1.8

5.4

Datum Plane
Positioning the part with relation to three mutually perpendicular planes.

1.9

INDICATION OF FEATURE CONTROLLED

5.4

Surface only

Correct

In Correct

Correct

Axis or median plane

Correct

Correct

1.10

INDICATION OF DATUM FEATURE

5.4

1.11

THE TWO MATERIAL CONDITIONS

5.4

Maximum material condition (abbreviated MMC)

Is the condition in which a feature of size contains the maximum amount
of material within the stated limits of size.
MMC = smallest allowable hole or
the largest allowable shaft, relative to the stated size limits.
Least material condition (abbreviated LMC)
Is the condition in which a feature of size contains the least amount of
material within the stated limits of size.
LMC = largest allowable hole or
the smallest allowable shaft , relative to the stated size limits.

1.12

Characteristic
Symbol Type of Feature modified
Basic dimensions
required

MMC/LMC allowed
for datumreference

No of Datums
required

Tolerances modifable
to MMC/LMC

Boundary/tol zone
shape modifier

Feature control frame

placement options

Symbols representing geometric characteristics

5.4

GDnT.exe

1.13

CLASSIFICATION OF GD&T

5.4

1. Form tolerances
2. Profile tolerances
3. Orientation tolerances
4. Location tolerances
5. Run-out tolerances

1.14

FORM TOLERANCES

5.5

A form (only) tolerance is specified on the drawing using a feature

control frame displaying one of the four form (only) characteristic
symbols, followed by the tolerance value for simple and planar features.
They are 4 characteristics :
1. Straightness Tolerance
2. Flatness Tolerance
3. Circularity Tolerance
4. Cylindricity Tolerance

1.15

STRAIGHTNESS TOLERANCE line Elements

5.5.1

The tolerance zone for controlling errors of straightness is the area b/n the
two parallel lines and the tolerance value is the distance b/n these lines.

Tolerance feature control frame is placed as leader directed to a feature

surface or attached to an extension line of a feature surface. MMC/LMC
modifiers are prohibited.

1.16

STRAIGHTNESS TOLERANCE Cyl Features

5.5.1

The Straightness tolerance feature control frame placed accordingly

associated with a diameter extension and have the requirement for perfect
form at MMC with a separate tolerance controlling the overall straightness
of the cylindrical feature.

1.17

TOLERANCE OF FLATNESS

5.5.2

The tolerance zone for controlling errors of flatness is the space b/n two
parallel planes and the value is the distance b/n these planes.
GDnT.exe

1.18

TOLERANCE OF ROUNDNESS

5.5.3

The tolerance zone for controlling errors of roundness is the annular area

GDnT.exe

b/n two coplanar circles, and the tolerance value is the radial distance b/n
these circles.

1.19

TOLERANCE OF CYLINDRICITY

GDnT.exe

5.5.4

The tolerance zone for controlling errors of cylindricity is the annular

space b/n two perfect cylindrical surfaces lying on the same straight axis,
and the tolerance value is the radial distance b/n these surfaces.

1.20

PROFILE TOLERANCES

5.6

A profile (only) tolerance is specified on the drawing using a feature

control frame displaying one of the profile characteristic symbols, followed
by the tolerance value for profile features such as automobiles, airplanes,
and ships are replete with parts having non planar, non cylindrical, non
spherical Features.
The profile tolerance zone is generated by offsetting each point on the basic
profile in a direction normal to the basic profile at that point.
The 2 Characteristics are
1. Profile of a line
2. Profile of a surface

1.21

PROFILE FEATURE CONTROL FRAME

5.6.1

1.22

PROFILE OF A LINE

5.6.1

1.23

PROFILE OF A SURFACE

5.6.2
GDnT.exe

1.24

ORIENTATION TOLERANCES

5.7

Orientation is a features angular relationship to a DRF.

Thus, an orientation tolerance is useful for relating one datum feature to
another and for refining the orientation of a feature already controlled with
a positional tolerance.
There are 3 orientation characteristics.
1. Parallelism
2. Perpendicularity
3. Angularity

1.25

TOLERANCE OF PARALLELISM

5.7.1

The tolerance zone for controlling errors of parallelism is the area b/n two
parallel lines or the space b/n the parallel planes which are parallel to the datum
feature. The tolerance value is the distance b/n the lines or planes.

1.26

TOLERANCE OF PERPENDICULARITY

5.7.2

The tolerance zone for controlling errors of parallelism is the area b/n two
parallel lines or the space b/n the parallel planes which are perpendicular to the
datum feature. The tolerance value is the distance b/n the lines or planes.

GDnT.exe

1.27

TOLERANCE OF ANGULARITY

GDnT.exe

5.7.3

The tolerance zone for controlling errors of angularity is the area b/n two
parallel straight lines, which are inclined to the datum feature at a specified
angle. The tolerance value is the distance, separating the lines or planes

1.28

parallel lines

Cylindrical

parallel planes

APPLICATION OF ORIENTATION TOLERANCES 5.7.3

1.29

Tolerance of location for related features

5.8

It was customary to control the location of a feature on a part by specifying for

each direction a nominal dimension accompanied by plus and minus tolerances.
The 3 location tolerances are
1. Position Tolerance
2. Concentricity Tolerance
3. Symmetry Tolerance

1.30

POSITION TOLERANCE
A

positional

5.8.1
tolerance

is

specified using a feature control

frame displaying the position
characteristic symbol followed
by a compartment containing
the positional tolerance value
followed by the MMC or LMC
modifying symbol.
The

tolerance

compartment

followed by 1 or 2 or 3 separate
compartments containing datum
reference letter.
1.31

TOLERANCE OF CONCENTRICITY

5.8.2

The tolerance zone for controlling errors of concentricity is a circle or cylinder

within which the centre of the controlled feature is to be contained. The tolerance
value is the diameter of the tolerance zone

1.32

TOLERANCE FOR SYMMETRY

5.8.3

Symmetry is the correspondence in size, contour, and arrangement of part

surface elements on opposite sides of a plane, line, or point.
A symmetry tolerance is specified using a feature control frame displaying the
characteristic symbol for symmetry about a plane. The feature control frame
includes the symmetry tolerance value followed by one, two, or three datum
planes or features.
`

1.33

TOLERANCE OF RUN OUT

5.9

Variation in the surface elements of the round feature to the axis is run out.
Run out tolerances are Two. They are :
1. Circular Run out
2. Total Run out

1.34

TOLERANCE OF CIRCULAR RUN OUT

5.9.1

The tolerance zone is limited within any plane, perpendicular to the axis by two
concentric circles a distance apart.
Circularity + Concentricity = Circular Run out.

Circular run out can be applied to any

feature that is nominally cylindrical,
spherical, to radial, conical, or any
revolute having round cross sections

1.35

TOLERANCE OF TOTAL RUN OUT

GDnT.exe

5.9.2

The tolerance zone is limited for any measuring point, by two circles, a
distance apart.
Cylindricity + Concentricity = Total run out

1.36

MODIFYING SYMBOLS

5.10

The basic dimensions are denoted as 2.25

1.37

MODIFIER SYMBOLS FOR FEATURE OF SIZE

5.10

Each geometric tolerance for a feature of size applies in one of the

following three contexts:
1. Regardless of Feature Size (RFS), the default
2. Modified to Maximum Material Condition (MMC)
3. Modified to Least Material Condition (LMC)

1.38

REGARDLESS OF FEATURE SIZE (RFS)

5.10

A geometric tolerance applied to a feature of size with no modifying symbol

applies RFS. A few types of tolerances can only apply in an RFS context. RFS
establishes a central tolerance zone, within which a geometric element derived
from the feature shall be contained.

1.39

AT MAXIMUM MATERIAL CONDITION (MMC)

5.10

According to this modified symbol A

feature MMC size limit spline shall
be perfectly formed. That is invokes
a boundary to perfect form at MMC.
The feature does not require the
LMC boundary to have a perfect
form. This modified symbol we must
obtain a clearance Fit.

1.40

LEAST MATERIAL CONDITION (LMC)

5.10

This modified symbol is used where a geometry tolerance is necessary to ensure

an adequate skin of part material in or feature of size, rather than a clearance fit.
In such application the feature LMC spine shall be perfectly formed and the
Mmc boundary need not be perfect form.

1.41

AT BOTH MNC & LMC

5.10

There are some cases where a feature of size is associated with an MNC modifier
in one context and an LMC modifier in another Context.

1.42

BONUS TOLERANCE

5.11

Bonus tolerance - a unit value to be added to the specified geometric tolerance.

When True Position (positional location) is called out on a drawing, the
tolerance is applied at LMC (least material condition), MMC (maximum
material condition), or RFS (regardless of feature size).
If LMC or MMC is listed, we can calculate a wider tolerance, or bonus,
depending on the actual size of the measured feature

1.43

5.11
In our example, well use an inside feature. Our drawing states we have a diameter
tolerance of 1.5000" +0.0005" (so our MMC would be 1.5000").
In addition, we have a positional location tolerance of 0.001" applied at MMC.

1.5000" (diameter at MMC) = 0.001" (location)

But if we were to add
1.5000" + 0.0003" (diameter) = 0.001" + 0.0003" (location)
1.5003" (diameter) = 0.0013" (location)
1.44

STEPS TO DETERMINE THE BONUS TOLERANCE 5.11

AT RFS : No bonus to location tolerance zone.
AT MMC: Bonus tolerance equals the arithmetic difference between the features
actual mating size and its specified MMC size limit.
AT LMC: Bonus tolerance equals the arithmetic difference between the features
actual minimum material size and its specified LMC size limit.
Steps for determine Bonus Tolerance:
1.

Determine the size of the hole at MMC or LMC.

2.

Measure the feature on the machined part.

3.

Subtract measured hole size from hole at MMC or LMC. i.e Bonus tolerance.

4. Determine the positional tolerance of feature.

5. Add the values for 3 and 4.This gives total tolerance.
1.45

EXAMPLE FOR BONUS TOLERANCE

5.11

1.46

SOLVED EXAMPLE FOR GD&T

5.12

A non GD&T Automobile wheel Rotor

1.47

Solution : Applying GD&T to the wheel as following.

5.12

.Mounting face as to be flat as 0.005 and considered as Datum feature A.

The profile tolerance to the mounting face as given as 0.02 w.r.t datum A

Another critical face i.e 11.00 is explicitly required to be parallel to A within .003

The profile tolerance for this face has to given w.r.t a as 0.02. as this can considered
as datum C from which profile of 7.0 bore is defined.

The step diameter of 6.0 is required to be parallel to A with in 0.03.

The perpendicularity of the 5.50 bore is directly controlled to the mounting face,
i.e datum A. Now the 5.50 bore can be labeled datum feature B and provide an
unambiguous origin from which the.515 bolt
holes and other rounded parts are located.

The profile tolerance to the 5.50 bore as given as 0.02 w.r.t datum A

The 7.0 bore is with position with the datum B i.e 5.50 bore and datum A

The position tolerance for 7.0 bore has to be given ie about datum C as 0.06.

The o.550 holes ha to positioned w.r.t datum B and A.

The depth 7.0 bore and 5.50 are denoted as basic dimensions.
1.48

 Wheel after GD&T

5.12

1.49

ANY QURIES

1.50