Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing

(click the control name for more details)

Applies Uses Materia

Category Control Symbol Application
to: Datum? Conditio

Straightness tolerance specifies a tolerance zone within which the line element Surface, MMC, LM
Straightness Never
of a feature must lie. FOS (FOS only

Used to control flatness for a gasket or seal, to attach a mating part or for better
Flatness contact with a datum simulation surface. Applies without regard for the size of Surface Never RFS
the feature (RFS).
Form

Used to limit the lobing (out of round) of a shaft diameter, which can cause
Circularity (Roundness) Surface Never RFS
bearing or bushing failure. Control applies to only one cross-section at a time.

Used to limit the surface conditions (out of round, taper, and straightness) of a
Cylindricity Surface Never RFS
shaft diameter.

Profile of a Line Used to limit the amount of error for line elements relative to their true profile. Surface Sometimes RFS

Profile
Used to control the size, location, orientation and form of planar, curved, or
Profile of a Surface irregular surfaces, polygons, cylinders surfaces of revolution, or cones and Surface Sometimes RFS
coplanar surfaces.

Used to control the amount a surface, axis, or centerplane is permitted to vary Surface, MMC, LM
Angularity Always
from its specified angle. FOS (FOS only

Perpendicularity Used to control the amount a surface, axis, or centerplane is permitted to vary Surface, MMC, LM
Orientation Always
(Squareness) from 90° to the Datum. FOS (FOS only

Used to limit the amount a surface, axis, or centerplane is permitted to vary from Surface, MMC, LM
Parallelism Always
being parallel to the datum. FOS (FOS only

Tolerance of position (TOP) is used to define the variation of location of a

Position FOS Always MMC, LM
feature of size (FOS) with respect to true position (theoretically exact location).

Used on rotational parts to ensure balanced distribution of mass and consistent

Location Concentricity FOS Always RFS
wall thickness. Alternative: TOP and runout.

Used on planar FOS to ensure balanced distribution of mass and consistent

Symmetry FOS Always RFS
wall thickness. Alternative: TOP.

Used to control the form, orientation, and circularity of individual circular

Circular Runout Surface Always RFS
elements of a part feature relative to one or more datum axis.
Runout
Used to control the form, orientation, and cylindricity of a diameter relative to
Total Runout Surface Always RFS
one or more datum axis.

Rule #1: Where only a tolerance of size is specified, the limits of size of an individual feature prescribe the extend to which variations in its 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.
Note that rule #1 does not apply to Stock size parts or parts made of flexible materials and, in a part with multiple FOS, rule #1 does not control location, orientati
or relationship between them.
Rule #2: Regardless of Feature Size (RFS) is the default condition of all geometric tolerances. Otherwise MMC or LMC must be specified on the Feature Control Fra
RFS means that the geometric tolerance applies regardless of the actual produced size of the feature.
MMC is very useful when designing a part destined for mass production (reduce rejection rates). However, if you're only designing few or one-of-a-kind part specify y
tolerances RFS.

GD&T Planar Datums

A datum is a theoretically exact plane, point, or axis from which a dimensional measurement is made.
A datum feature is a part feature that contacts a datum.
A true geometric counterpart is the theoretical perfect boundary or best fit tangent plane of a specified datum feature.
Datum Features are selected on the basis of part function and assembly requirements.
Datum Features are often the features that orient (stabilize) and locate the part in its assembly.
A Datum reference frame is a set of three mutually perpendicular datum planes, which provide direction and origin of measurements.
A part may have as many datum reference frames as needed to define its functional relationships.
The 3-2-1 Rule defines the minimum points of contact, with the primary datum as 3, the secondary datum as 2, and the tertiary datum as 1.
Coplanar surfaces are two or more surfaces that are on the same plane.
Coplanar datum features are two or more datum features that are on the same plane.
 COPLANAR DATUM FEATURES

.040

2.00±.02 .006

IMPLIED DATUM A
A 2X .006

A
2.00±.02 .006
.040

2X .006 A

A
2.000 .006 2.000

2X .006 A

.0005

DATUM DATUM
A 3X .005 A-B B A .005 B

.0005

Datum targets are symbols that describe the shape, size, and location of gage elements that are used to establish datum planes, axes, and points.
Datum targets are shown on a drawing, but they actually do not exist on a part.
Datum targets should be used whenever...
It is not practical to use the entire surface as a datum plane.
The designer suspects the part may rock or wobble when the datum feature contacts the datum plane
Only a portion of the feature is used in the function of the part.
When a datum target symbol is used on a drawing, it is often accompanied by the datum feature symbol.
Basic Dimensions should be used to describe the location of datum targets, which assures that there will be minimum variation between gages.

DATUM TARGET SYMBOLS

5 5
C A1 A3
Datum D

B
5
F1 A2
Datum E

Gage pins 5 Dia. represent datum targets

Datum F
E 10 A1, A2, A3 which help stablish Datum plane A
F
10
Datum B
Datum C

Gage pin represents datum Datum A

target F1 which help
D stablish Datum plane F
F1

3x10 3x10
B1 A1

Datum Targets A1 & B1 help

establish the coplanar surfaces
that make up Datum A & B

Datums A & B help ensure the

front and rear casters are level
2X .015 2X .015 with each other.
B1 A1
B A

GD&T Axis & Centerplane Datums

When a Feature Of Size (FOS) is specified as a datum feature, it results in an axis or centerplane as a datum.
When a Diameter (FOS) is designated as a datum feature, the datum axis is derived from placing the part in a datum feature simulator (gage element).
When referencing FOS datum features, the following items apply:
the datum sequence must be specified.
the material condition (MMC or LMC) must be specified.
if no material condition is specified, RFS is the default condition.
Using a FOS as a primary datum feature at RFS is Expensive. Only specify when there is no other choise.

DATUM AXIS & CENTERPLANES

6.8 19.8
A 6.0 A
19.0
6.8 6.8 .01 D E F
A 6.0
6.0
A
A

Axis as a datum Axis as a datum Axis as a datum Centerplane as a datum Centerplane as a datum
FOS = hole dia. FOS = hole dia. FOS = hole dia. FOS = part width FOS = key width

Datum feature Simulated datum

simulator axis B

10.8
10.0

Axis as a datum
B FOS = shaft dia.
Gage element for establishing Datum Axis B (RFS)

Composite Position Tolerance & Coaxiality

A composite position feature control frame has one position symbol that applies to the four horizontal segments that follow.
The first segment [.010] governs the location of the hole with respect to datums A & B.
The second segment [.007] governs the size, form, and orientation of the holes in the pattern with respect to A & B.
The third segment [.005] governs the 3-holes coaxial parallelism with respect to datum A and also to one another.
The fourth segment [.000] governs the 3-holes coaxial orientation with respect to one another.

.XX = ± .03
.XXX = ± .010
ANGLE = ± 1°

MORE CONTROL OVER HOLE COAXIALITY, FORM & ORIENTATION LESS CONTROL OVER HOLE COAXIALITY, FORM &
ORIENTATION

3X Ø .505 - .510
Ø .010 M A B 3X Ø .505-.510 CF
Ø .007 M A B Ø .010 M A B
Ø .005 M A
Ø .000 M

6.000 6.000

A 3.000 A 3.000

6.000 B 6.000 B

Composite Profile Tolerance

A composite profile feature control frame has one profile symbol that applies to the two horizontal segments that follow
The upper segment governs the location of the FOS with respect to its datums
The lower segment governs the size, form, and orientation of the FOS or pattern of features
The smaller tolerance zone need not fall entirely inside the larger tolerance zone
Any portion of the smaller tolerance zone that lies outside the larger tolerance zone is unusable
The actual FOS or profile must fall completely inside both profile tolerance zones.
 .XX = ± .03
.XXX = ± .010 The .040-wide
ANGLE = ± 1° Tolerance Zone
.040 A B C
.010 A
The .010-wide
Tolerance Zone
3X R1.00 2.000

R3.50
10.000

5.000

2.500

2.500 6.000 B

C 11.000 A