Why Use GD&T ?

Manufacturing tolerances acknowledge the fact that dimensional

perfection is impossible to achieve. More importantly, from an
economic perspective, perfection may be an expensive and
inappropriate goal. Unnecessarily small tolerances do not improve
quality or performance, they do increase costs. As manufacturing
tolerances shrink, production and inspection costs increase
rapidly. Properly specified tolerances minimize manufacturing and
assembly costs, ensure product performance, and provide a means
of assessing and maintaining process controls.

To Maximize Producibility
Parts designed using GD&T methods have maximized producibility because all
available manufacturing tolerance has been included.

To Improve Productivity
Using functional tolerancing techniques improves productivity by reducing the
potential for the rejection of functional parts.

Functional Performance
Properly applied GD&T assures assembly, interchangeability, and functional
performance of all mating details.

Clear Communication
Effective GD&T identifies important dimensional relationships and offers clear
communication of functional design requirements.

Uniform Interpretation
Uniform, consistent interpretation of design requirements saves time and money by
avoiding errors and controversies resulting from misconceptions and
misunderstandings.

Coordinated Datum Locations

GD&T provides a method of maintaining coordination between functional design
features, manufacturing processes & inspection practices (coordinated datum
locations).
 Basic
Rules and
Definitions
 Limits of Size

Unless otherwise specified, the limits of size of a

feature prescribe the extent within which
variations of geometric form as well as size are
allowed. This control applies solely to individual
features of size. (ASME Y14.5M-1994, 2.7)

FEATURES OF SIZE: MUST

BE WITHIN THE SPECIFIED
LIMITS OF SIZE
 Individual Feature of Size

Rule #1
Where only a tolerance of size is specified, the limits of
size of an individual feature prescribe the extent to which
variations in its geometric form as well as size are allowed.
(ASME Y14.5M-1994, 2.7.1)

In other words, features of size require:

PERFECT FORM AT MAXIMUM
MATERIAL CONDITION (MMC)

All Applicable
Geometric Tolerances

Rule #2
Regardless of Feature Size (RFS) applies, with respect to
the individual tolerance, datum reference or both, where
no modifying symbol is specified. Maximum Material
Condition (MMC) or Least Material Condition (LMC) must
be specified on the drawing where it is required
(ASME Y14.5-1994, 2.8a)

Notes:
The default condition described by Rule #2 applies only to drawings using the ASME
Y14.5M-1994 standard. Any drawing using an earlier standard will have a different default
condition.
Circular runout, total runout, concentricity, and symmetry can only be applied on an RFS
basis and cannot be modified to MMC or LMC.
 Definition
Maximum Material Condition
The condition in which a feature of size contains
the maximum amount of material within the
stated limits of size -- for example, minimum
hole diameter or maximum shaft diameter
(ASME Y14.5M-1994, 1.3.20)

WHEN THE PART WEIGHS THE MOST!

The Maximum Material Condition symbol can be used as a tolerance modifier and/or a datum
modifier for internal or external features of size. When the MMC symbol is applied as a tolerance
modifier, the specified tolerance value applies when the feature is at its extreme limit of size (min
hole, max shaft). When the MMC symbol is applied as a datum modifier, the datum is the axis or
center plane of the datum feature at its virtual size.
 Maximum Material Condition

External Features of Size (Largest Size)

11.75 +/-0.25

MMC Size = 12
14.95
14.90

MMC Size = 14.95

Internal Features of Size (Smallest Size)

0
12 -0.25

MMC Size = 11.75

+0.1
15 0

MMC Size = 15
 Definition
Least Material Condition
The condition in which a feature of size contains
the least amount of material within the stated
limits of size -- for example, maximum hole
diameter or minimum shaft diameter
(ASME Y14.5M-1994, 1.3.19)

WHEN THE PART WEIGHS THE LEAST!

The Least Material Condition symbol can also be used as a tolerance modifier and/or a datum
modifier for internal or external features of size. When the LMC symbol is applied as a tolerance
modifier, the specified tolerance value applies when the feature is at its extreme limit of size (max
hole, min shaft). When the LMC symbol is applied as a datum modifier, the datum is the axis or
center plane of the datum feature at its LMC size.
 Least Material Condition

External Features of Size (Smallest Size)

11.75 +/-0.25

LMC Size = 11.5

14.95
14.90

LMC Size = 14.9

Internal Features of Size (Largest Size)

0
12 -0.25

LMC Size = 12

15 +0.1
0

LMC Size = 15.1

 Definition
Regardless of Feature Size

The term used to indicate that a geometric

tolerance or datum reference applies at any
increment of size of the feature within its size
tolerance. (ASME Y14.5M-1994, 1.3.22)

*
(See rule #2 ASME Y14.5M-1994). It is applicable only on drawings
using earlier standards.
 Definition
Free State Condition

The term used to indicate that a geometric

tolerance or datum reference applies in its

(The use of the free state symbol as a datum condition modifier is

valid only when the datum default condition is restrained.)

When applied to geometric tolerances, the free state symbol

indicates that individual or related feature tolerance(s) must
be verified with the part in an unrestrained or unclamped
condition.
When used as a datum modifier, only those datum feature(s)

individual or related feature tolerance(s).