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Tolerance Stacks

Tolerance stackups describe the process of calculating the accumulated variation in dimensions and tolerances specified in engineering drawings. This variation is determined using either arithmetic or statistical methods to predict the maximum and minimum distances between parts. Understanding tolerances and standards is important for accurate tolerance stackup calculations, which help engineers study dimensional relationships, calculate part tolerances, compare designs, and produce complete drawings. Safety factors are often included in designs to account for operational conditions, wear, deflection after assembly, potential for out-of-specification parts, and sensitivity of the stackup.

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166 views2 pages

Tolerance Stacks

Tolerance stackups describe the process of calculating the accumulated variation in dimensions and tolerances specified in engineering drawings. This variation is determined using either arithmetic or statistical methods to predict the maximum and minimum distances between parts. Understanding tolerances and standards is important for accurate tolerance stackup calculations, which help engineers study dimensional relationships, calculate part tolerances, compare designs, and produce complete drawings. Safety factors are often included in designs to account for operational conditions, wear, deflection after assembly, potential for out-of-specification parts, and sensitivity of the stackup.

Uploaded by

Paul Brett
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Tolerance stacks

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its
sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this
article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (May 2009)

Tolerance analysis is the general term for all activities related to the study of accumulated
variation in mechanical parts and assemblies, and may be used on other types of systems
subject to accumulated variation, such as mechanical and electrical systems.

Tolerance stacks, tolerance stackups or tolerance stack-ups are terms used to describe the
problem-solving process in mechanical engineering of calculating the effects of the
accumulated variation that is allowed by specified dimensions and tolerances. Typically these
dimensions and tolerances are specified on an engineering drawing. Arithmetic tolerance
stackups use the worst-case maximum or minimum values of dimensions and tolerances to
calculate the maximum and minimum distance (clearance or interference) between two
features or parts. Statistical tolerance stackups evaluate the maximum and minimum values
based on the absolute arithmetic calculation combined with some method for establishing
likelihood of obtaining the maximum and minimum values, such as Root Sum Square (RSS)
or Monte-Carlo methods.

While no official engineering standard covers the process or format of tolerance analysis,
tolerance analysis and tolerance stackups are essential components of good product design.
Tolerance stackups should be used as part of the mechanical design process, both as a
predictive tool and as a problem-solving tool. The methods used to conduct a tolerance
stackup depend somewhat upon the engineering dimensioning and tolerancing standards that
are referenced in the engineering documentation, such as ASME Y14.5, ASME Y14.41, or
the relevant ISO dimensioning and tolerancing standards. Understanding the tolerances,
concepts, and boundaries created by these standards is vital to performing accurate
calculations.

Tolerance stackups serve engineers by:

 helping engineers and designers study dimensional relationships within an assembly


 giving designers a means of calculating part tolerances
 helping engineers compare design proposals
 helping designers produce complete drawings

[edit] Concerns with tolerance stackups


A safety factor is often included in designs because of concerns about:

 Operational temperature of the parts or assembly


 Wear
 Deflection of components after assembly
 The possibility or probability that the parts are slightly out of specification (but passed
inspection)
 The sensitivity or importance of the stack (what happens if the design conditions are
not met)

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