Tolerance Stack

A tolerance stack is a calculation to determine how tolerances

accumulate. Stacks help establish and optimize part tolerances, and
ensure that parts are designed to promote maximum function at minimal
cost. When used in the design stage, stacks provide an opportunity to
evaluate a part's manufacturability, which reduces the need for costly
prototypes.
The ground rules for stacks are very similar to those for GD&T in general:
Parts are assumed to be at room temperature
Parts are manufactured to print
There is no part wear
No other unusual conditions (contamination, etc.) exist
The example below shows a basic stack that determines the minimum
and maximum width of a groove. The example indicate that if
the dimensions shown are all manufactured within tolerance, the groove
size could vary between 8.3 and 11.7. That's a variation of 3.4 even
though each dimension has a tolerance of no more than 0.5. Had the
part been made without computing the stack the groove might have
been substantially smaller or larger than expected, resulting in a poor or
impossible fit with a mating part.

Performing the tolerance stack before building parts allows a designer to

catch issues before they create expensive problems.