Solutions for Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing, 3/e (published by Wiley)

MPGroover 2007

5 Product Design: Dimensions, Tolerances, and Surfaces

Review Questions
5.1

What is a tolerance?
Answer. A tolerance is defined as the total amount by which a specified dimension is permitted to
vary.

5.2

What are some of the reasons why surfaces are important?

Answer. The reasons why surfaces are important include: aesthetics, safety, friction and wear, effect
of surface on mechanical and physical properties, mating of components in assembly, and electrical
contacts.

5.3

Define nominal surface.

Answer. The nominal surface is the ideal part surface represented on an engineering drawing. It is
assumed perfectly smooth; perfectly flat if referring to a planar surface; perfectly round if referring to
a round surface, etc.

5.4

Define surface texture.

Answer. Surface texture is the random and repetitive deviations from the nominal surface, including
roughness, waviness, lay, and flaws.

5.5

How is surface texture distinguished from surface integrity?

Answer. Surface texture refers only to the surface geometry; surface integrity includes not only
surface but the subsurface layer beneath the surface and the changes in it.

5.6

Within the scope of surface texture, how is roughness distinguished from waviness?
Answer. Roughness consists of the finely-spaced deviations from the nominal surface, while
waviness refers to the deviations of larger spacing. Roughness deviations lie within waviness
deviations.

5.7

Surface roughness is a measurable aspect of surface texture; what does surface roughness mean?
Answer. Surface roughness is defined as the average value of the vertical deviations from the
nominal surface over a specified surface length.

5.8

What is the difference between AA and RMS in surface roughness measurement?

Answer. AA (arithmetic average) and RMS (root-mean-square) are alternative methods by which the
average roughness value is computed. The AA method uses the absolute values of the deviations in
the averaging procedure, while the RMS method uses the squared values of the deviations in the
averaging process.

5.9

Indicate some of the limitations of using surface roughness as a measure of surface texture.
Answer. Surface roughness provides only a single measure of surface texture. Among its limitations
are: (1) it varies depending on direction; (2) it does not indicate lay; (3) its value depends on the
roughness width cutoff used to measure the average.

5.10 Identify some of the changes and injuries that can occur at or immediately below the surface of a
metal.
Answer. The changes and injuries include: cracks, craters, variations in hardness near the surface,
metallurgical changes resulting from heat, residual stresses, intergranular attack, etc. (see Table 5.1).
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Solutions for Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing, 3/e (published by Wiley)

MPGroover 2007

5.11 What causes the various types of changes that occur in the altered layer just beneath the surface?
Answer. Energy input to the surface resulting from the manufacturing process used to generate the
surface. The energy forms can be any of several types, including mechanical, thermal, chemical, and
electrical.
5.12 Name some manufacturing processes that produce very poor surface finishes.
Answer. Processes that produce poor surfaces include sand casting, hot rolling, sawing, and thermal
cutting (e.g., flame cutting).
5.13 Name some manufacturing processes that produce very good or excellent surface finishes.
Answer. Processes that produced very good and excellent surfaces include honing, lapping,
polishing, and superfinishing.

Multiple Choice Quiz

There is a total of 13 correct answers in the following multiple choice questions (some questions have
multiple answers that are correct). To attain a perfect score on the quiz, all correct answers must be given.
Each correct answer is worth 1 point. Each omitted answer or wrong answer reduces the score by 1 point,
and each additional answer beyond the correct number of answers reduces the score by 1 point. Percentage
score on the quiz is based on the total number of correct answers.
5.1

A tolerance is which one of the following: (a) clearance between a shaft and a mating hole, (b)
measurement error, (c) total permissible variation from a specified dimension, or (d) variation in
manufacturing?
Answer. (c).

5.2

Which of the following two geometric terms have the same meaning: (a) circularity, (b) concentricity,
(c) cylindricity, and (d) roundness?
Answer. (a) and (d).

5.3

Surface texture includes which of the following characteristics of a surface (three correct answers):
(a) deviations from the nominal surface, (b) feed marks of the tool that produced the surface, (c)
hardness variations, (d) oil films, and (e) surface cracks?
Answer. (a), (b), and (e).

5.4

Which averaging method generally yields the higher value of surface roughness: (a) AA or (b) RMS?
Answer. (b).

5.5

Surface texture is included within the scope of surface integrity: (a) true or (b) false?
Answer. (a).

5.6

Thermal energy is normally associated with which of the following changes in the altered layer (three
best answers): (a) cracks, (b) hardness variations, (c) heat affected zone, (d) plastic deformation, (e)
recrystallization, or (f) voids?
Answer. (b), (c), and (e).

5.7

Which one of the following manufacturing processes will likely result in the best surface finish: (a)
arc welding, (b) grinding, (c) machining, (d) sand casting, or (e) sawing?
Answer. (b).

5.8

Which one of the following manufacturing processes will likely result in the worst surface finish: (a)
cold rolling, (b) grinding, (c) machining, (d) sand casting, or (e) sawing?

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students enrolled in courses for which the textbook has been adopted. Any other reproduction or translation of this work beyond that permitted
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Solutions for Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing, 3/e (published by Wiley)

MPGroover 2007

Answer. (d). Also, sawing (e) will yield a poor finish. Either answer is acceptable.

Excerpts from this work may be reproduced by instructors for distribution on a not-for-profit basis for testing or instructional purposes only to
students enrolled in courses for which the textbook has been adopted. Any other reproduction or translation of this work beyond that permitted
by Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act without the permission of the copyright owner is unlawful.

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