TOLERANCE STACK UP ANALYSIS

What is stack up analysis?

The study of accumulation of tolerance of individual parts in an assembly is termed as tolerance
Stack up analysis.

How useful is this stack up analysis?

Manufacturers spend millions of dollars every year on product quality issues such as –
1) Parts not fitting together properly.
2) Engineering Changes
3) Time consumtion
4) Increase in expense

Basically we group the tolerance analysis into:

Analysis Method Analysis Tolerance Level

Type Type
2D Analysis Manual calculation Worst case only Geometric & Part &
Tolerance charts Dimensional Assembly
3D Analysis Software with Worst case & Geometric & Part &
Inbuilt codes Statistical Dimensional Assembly
1. Approach for 2D stacks (Plus/minus dimensions)

a. To establish performance requirements

    b. Draw Loop Diagrams
   c. Calculate mean value for performance requirement
   d. Determine method of analysis
e. Stack Table
f. Re-sizing factor*

2. Usage of geometric tolerance in 2D stacks

3. Examples on 2D stacks
4. Note about different software’s used in 3D stacks
 STEPS INVOLVED IN 2D STACK UP ANALYSIS

    1. To establish performance requirements

    2. Draw Loop Diagrams
   3. Calculate mean value for performance requirement
   4. Determine method of analysis
5. Stack Table
6. Re-sizing factor*
 1. TO ESTABLISH PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS

Performance requirements :

1. “GAP” or “SPACE” – In 2D analysis GAP is the only analysis that is being

made. If the GAP value equals to 0, then it’s a contact between the mating
faces
2. Requirement at the GAP
3. Related “DIMENSIONS” for the requirement
10+/-0.1
1.GAP

HOUSING COVER
2. REQUIREMENT = 0.5+/-0.2 (0.3 – 0.7)

5+/-0.2 7.5+/-0.2 3. DIMENSIONS

12+/-0.3 ALL UNITS IN MM
 2. LOOP DIAGRAMS

LOOP DIAGRAM is a graphical representation of each DIMENSIONS. Each “GAP”

needs a separate loop diagram. Loops are usually horizontal or vertical. Example,
Horizontal Loop diagrams will graphically represent the dimensional contributors for
horizontal “gaps”.  

GAP

A = 12+/-0.3
B = 5+/-0.2
C = 7.5+/-0.2

B C

ALL UNITS IN MM
    For horizontal loops, start at the surface on the left side of the gap. Follow a complete dimension
loop, to the surface on the right.
 
   Create a “closed” loop diagram from the starting surface to the ending surface.
 
   For horizontal dimensions:
Use a + sign for dimensions followed from left to right
Use a - sign for dimensions followed from right to left
 

GAP

A = 12+/-0.3
B = 5+/-0.2
C = 7.5+/-0.2

+B +C

-A

ALL UNITS IN MM
 3. CALCULATE MEAN VALUE FOR THE GAP

The mean value at the gap is given by,

 
GAP =  ai di , i = 1 to n
 
Where,

GAP = Mean value at the gap.

aI = Factor which defines direction for ith dimension (usually +1 or –1)
dI = Mean value of ith dimension
n = Number of dimensions in stack up.

In this case:
GAP = a1d1 + a1d2 + a3d3
GAP = [(-1)*12] + [(+1)*5] + [(+1)*7.5]

Mean GAP = 0.5 mm

 4. METHOD OF ANALYSIS

2D Analysis use only Worst case condition.

Twc =  | af tf| +  | av tv|

Twc = Tolerance in Worst Case condition

af = Factor for ith fixed component. (+1 or –1)
tf = Tolerance for ith fixed component – fixed components are those parts which we are
not supposed to change the tolerance
av = Factor for jth variable component
tv = Tolerance for jth variable component

In this case,
Twc = [ 0 ] + [ (0.3) + (0.2) + (0.2)]
 Twc = 0.7 mm

Minimum gap = Mean GAP – Twc = 0.5 – 0.7 = - 0.2 mm

Maximum gap = Mean GAP + Twc = 0.5 + 0.7 = + 1.2 mm

Requirement at the GAP is 0.3 to 0.7 mm, where as the obtained dimension at the GAP = -0.2 mm
 5. STACK TABLE

Typically Stack-up table looks like as shown below:

Part Number Description Variable Sensitivity Max. Value Min. Value Tolerance
Of parts Used for dim.
xxxx xxxx A/B +1/-1 xxxx xxxx xxxx

Sensitivity: In case of 2D Analysis, Sensitivity corresponds to the flow direction of the loop,
meaning the dimensions associated with the loop from left to right has sensitivity is +1 & vise
versa.

All upper limit dimensions with positive sensitivity comes under Max. Value column & all upper
limit dimension with negative sensitivity comes under Min. Value.
 STACK TABLE

Stack-up table is used to just represent the values from earlier calculations in a table format

SI VARIABLE MEAN MAX MIN TOL

NO DIMENSION
1 -A - 12 -11.7 -12.3 0.6

2 +B +5 +5.2 +4.8 0.4

3 +C + 7.5 +7.7 +7.3 0.4

TOTAL +0.5 +1.2 - 0.2 1.4

Requirement is, maximum gap has to be 0.7 & minimum gap has to be 0.3, where as
Obtained result is, maximum gap is 1.2 & minimum gap is - 0.2
 6. RE-SIZING FACTOR*
Resizing is a method of allocating tolerances. The resize factor (F wc), scales the tolerances down
to achieve the desired assembly performances. The scaling factor only applies to variable
tolerances.
Resize factor for the worst case model is given by,
 
GAP – gm -  | af tf|
FR = ----------------------------- gm = minimum requirement at the (assembly) gap
 | av tv|

FR = [0.5 – 0.3 – ( 0 ) ] / 0.7

FR = 0.285
SI VARIABLE MEAN MAX MIN TOL RE-SIZED
NO DIMENSION
1 -A - 12 -11.7 -12.3 0.6 0.171
2 +B +5 +5.2 +4.8 0.4 0.114
3 +C + 7.5 +7.7 +7.3 0.4 0.114
TOTAL + 0.5 + 1.2 - 0.2 1.4 0.4

Now, from the Re-sized tolerance we have 0.5+/-0.2, satisfying our requirement
 STACKS USING GEOMETRIC TOLERANCE

STACKS USING FORM TOLERANCE

Form tolerance states how far an actual surface of feature is permitted to vary from desired form
implied in the drawing. Expressions of these tolerance refers to flatness, straightness, parallelism,
perpendicularity, angularity, roundness, cylindricity, profile of line & profile of surface

1. FLATNESS:
Flatness applied to a part feature is not used in about 90% of the stacks. This is because, when a
stack uses the dimension associated with a surface & the surface has a flatness control, the flatness
refines the form of a surface within the limits of the dimension.

10.3 – 10.0

At MMC – Max envelope 0.05, Flatness

zone
 RULES FOR USING FLATNESS TOLERANCE IN STACK UP

TO OR THRU RULE:

1. If a stack goes to a surface, the form of the surface must be accounted for in the stack
2. If a stack goes thru a surface, the form of the surface is automatically included in the
limits of the dimension

There are mainly 2 conditions associated with flatness:

1. Adjacent condition – connected to rule 1, I.e, if a

1 stack path exists in the portion of the part which is
touching the mating part, the stack condition is
adjacent

2. Offset condition – connected to rule 2, I.e, if a stack

path exists in the portion of the part which is not
2
touching the mating part, the stack condition is
offset.

*Same thing holds good for Orientation tolerance also (Parallelism, Perpendicularity, & Angularity)
EXAMPLE FOR FLATNESS TOLERANCE
 RULES FOR USING PROFILE TOLERANCE

2. PROFILE TOLERANCE:

0.4 X 0.4 X

If the profile tolerance is BILATERAL

• Enter HALF the tolerance value in the minimum column
• Enter HALF the tolerance value in the maximum column

If the profile tolerance is UNILATERAL

1. Enter the FULL tolerance value in one of the column depending on the direction of the LOOP
diagram
EXAMPLE FOR SURFACE PROFILE
 RULES FOR USING PERPENDICULARITY TOLERANCE W.R.T AXIS

3. PERPENDICULARITY:

The perpendicularity tolerance effects are combined with the feature of size dimension.

1. We need to enter virtual condition (extreme boundary condition) of the dimension in one stack
column (Max value/Min value column).
2. LMC of the dimension in another stack column.

Virtual condition: Is the collective effect of size & geometric tolerances that must be considered for
The calculation of fit or clearance between mating parts.
For calculation Virtual condition:
External features = MMC + tolerance of Orientation
Internal features = MMC – tolerance of Orientation

Virtual condition: 10.8+0.1 = 10.9 mm

LMC: 10.4 mm

10.6+/-0.2
ø0.1(M) A
EXAMPLE FOR PERPENDICULARITY
 RULES FOR USING RUNOUT & CONCENTRICITY

4. RUNOUT:

0.3 A

When calculating a stack that includes a runout tolerance:

1. Note down HALF the runout tolerance value in minimum column

2. And note down HALF the runout tolerance value in maximum column

Same holds good for Total Runout, & Concentricity also

EXAMPLE FOR RUNOUT
 RULES FOR USING POSITION TOLERANCE IN STACK UP

10+/-0.4
16+/-0.4 A

Ø 0.2 (M) A (M)

5. POSITION TOLERANCE: A position tolerance might also have other tolerance which include bonus
& shift depending upon the modifiers used for tolerance & datum’s respectively
Bonus: In the above example, Ø 0.2 is the tolerance at MMC (dia 16.4), as the diameter tends to decrease
(LMC), a bonus tolerance is generated.
Diameter Tolerance Bonus tolerance
16.4 (MMC) 0.2 0
16.3 0.3 0.1
16.2 0.4 0.2
16.1 0.5 0.3
16.0 0.6 0.4
15.9 0.7 0.5
15.8 0.8 0.6
15.7 0.9 0.7
15.6 (LMC) 1.0 0.8 0.8 is the Maximum Bonus tolerance
Bonus tolerance: Bonus tolerance is used when there is a modifier (MMC or LMC)
for the position tolerance.

Bonus tol. 0.4 radially

Dia.0.2

For Dia. 16.4 (MMC), we have a tolerance For Dia. 15.6 (LMC), we have a
Zone of dia. 0.2 Tolerance zone of dia 1.0
Shift tolerance: Shift tolerance is used when a modifier (MMC or LMC) is specified on the
Datum Reference
 DIFFERENT SOFTWARE’S USED FOR 3D STACKUP ANALYSIS

Most of the CAD software’s have inbuilt module for stack analysis, most commonly heard
is the CE Tol of Pro/E.
Similarly we have other software’s such as –
2D DCS & 3D DCS (Dimensional Control Systems)
Vis VSA – Variation Simulation Analysis

Unlike worst case analysis done in 2D analysis, 3D analysis use an inbuilt program which gives the
solution which almost matches the real time situation for calculating the stackup analysis. Most
commonly used program is Monte-Carlo Simulation. Validity of the predictions depends on the
accuracy of the input variations, simulation sample size and the fit of a statistical distribution to the
resultant assembly data.
 10+/-0.1
1.GAP

HOUSING COVER

5+/-0.2 7.5+/-0.2

12+/-0.3