Republic of the Philippines

Tarlac State University

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Romulo Blvd, Tarlac City, Tarlac

Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing

(GD&T)

Submitted by:
DIENIES TORRES
BSME 4B

Submitted to:
ENGR. ADAM ROMBAOA
INSTRUCTOR
What is GD&T ?

We first to understand :
- Parts are NOT really useful by themselves

Instead:
- Parts are typically put together with other parts to create a useful assembly

The last thing we need to understand:

 - Traditional dimensioning and tolerancing does NOT guarantee that your parts will fit and
function at the assembly level.

How does this part fit at the assembly level?

Does this part function at the assembly level?

So we need to ask Ourselves:

How can we dimension and tolerance parts in a way which guarantees they will fit and function
at the assembly level ?
We will use GD&T.

So what is GD&T?

1. It’s a system of dimensioning and tolerancing mechanical parts.

2. It’s a system that is more powerful than traditional dimensioning and tolerancing.
3. It’s a system which allows you to know with 100% certainty your parts will fit and function
at the assembly level.
4. It’s a system so you learn Vocabulary, Definition, Rules, and then apply symbols.

Benefits of using GD&T:

1. You can be 100% certain that your parts will fit and function properly at the assembly
level.
2. Save time and money by reducing the number of design-manufacturing-test fit cycles.
3. Conveys your design intent:
a. Machinist
b. Inspectors
c. Future designers inheriting your work

Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing Symbols

Symbols or Geometric Characteristics are what most often come to mind when people think
about GD&T. There are over twenty GD&T characteristics, and the most commonly used
symbols that represent them are shown in the symbol “cheat sheet” below.

GD&T is a feature-based system, and parts are composed of features. Geometric tolerances
are applied to features by feature control frames. The most frequently used tolerance categories
are form, orientation, and location. The remainder of the five geometric dimensioning and
tolerancing symbols are runout and profile.

Form tolerances control the “shape” of features and are often used as a refinement of size.

Orientation tolerances control the “tilt” of feature and are always associated with basic angle
dimensions, often used as a refinement to location. If applied to surfaces, orientation tolerances
also control form.

Location tolerances control location and are always associated with basic linear dimensions.
Position locates and orients the median plane or axis of features of size. Profile locates feature
surfaces. GD&T profile is the most powerful characteristic of all which controls orientation and
form.

Feature Control Frame

GD&T symbols are placed in the first compartment of a feature control frame and define the
type of tolerance that is to be applied to the feature. The characteristics are grouped together
into types of tolerance: form, orientation, location, runout, and location of derived median points.
The primary use and description of each characteristic is also shown.

The feature control frame states the requirements or instructions for the feature to which it is
attached. Simply put, the feature control frame controls features. Each feature control frame
contains only one message (requirement); if two messages for a feature are necessary, two
feature control frames are required.
The first compartment of a feature control frame contains one of the geometric characteristic
symbols. Only one of the symbols can be placed in a feature control frame; if there are two
requirements for a feature, there must be two feature control frames or a composite tolerance.
The symbol will specify the requirement for the feature, such as, “this feature must be flat,” or
“this feature must be positioned.”

The second compartment of a feature control frame contains the total tolerance for the feature.
The feature tolerance is always a total tolerance, never a plus/minus value.

If the tolerance is preceded by a diameter symbol (⌀), the tolerance is a diameter or cylindrical
shaped zone, as in the position of a hole. If there is no symbol preceding the tolerance, the
default tolerance zone shape is parallel planes or a total wide zone, as in the position of a slot or
profile of a surface.

Following the feature tolerance in the feature control frame, a material condition modifier, such
as MMC or LMC (see Material Condition Modifiers) may be specified if the feature has size,
such as a hole. If the feature has size, and no modifier is specified, the default modifier is RFS
(Regardless of Feature Size). If the feature has no size, such as a plane surface, then the
modifier is not applicable.

The third and following compartments of a feature control frame contain the datum feature
reference(s) if they are required. For example, if a form tolerance, such as GD&T flatness or
straightness, is specified, then no datum feature reference is allowed. However, if a location
tolerance like position is specified, the datum feature references are usually specified.
The alphabetical order of the datum references has no significance—the significance is their
order of precedence, reading from left to right as primary, secondary, and tertiary. The primary
is the first feature contacted (minimum contact at 3 points), the secondary feature is the second
feature contacted (minimum contact at 2 points), and the tertiary is the third feature contacted
(minimum contact at 1 point). Contacting the three (3) datum features simultaneously
establishes the three (3) mutually perpendicular datum planes or the DRF. The DRF is created
by so-called Datum Simulators which are the manufacturing, processing, and inspection
equipment, such as surface plate, a collet, a three-jaw chuck, a gage pin, etc.

In certain situations, the datum feature modifiers Maximum Material Boundary (MMB) or Least
Material Boundary (LMB) may be applied to the datum feature. The default modifier is
Regardless of Material Boundary (RMB). Since the datum feature has size (it can get larger and
smaller), information is necessary on the size condition of the datum feature to which the datum
feature reference applies. The modified condition of the datum feature (MMB, LMB, RMB)
defines the size or condition of the datum feature simulator.

Reference:

https://www.fictiv.com/articles/gdt-101-an-introduction-to-geometric-dimensioning-and-
tolerancing