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GD&T is it a philosophy 5

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fsincox

Aerospace
Aug 1, 2002
1,261
I am interested in hearing the different points of view on your philosophy to GD&T.
As new draftsman we had always been told “you can’t use bolt circles, only co-ordinates” and “don’t dimension from centerlines, only edges” I suspect these are a lot like the caliper guys of today. When I was first trained in Y14.5-1982 in 1987 I found it a very liberating. The philosophy I was told was if it did not violate the basic rules or is not prohibited by the standard it was OK, Notes on drawings were not desired because of language barriers, but in extreme cases, you may need to supplement with a note to explain what you intend. The sense I got was it was a tool kit to be used and the simplistic examples in the text were just that, period. The book certainly did not explore the limits of what can be done it was more of a universal language that would be built upon as languages do. English, for example, has had words like computer and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing added to it (my MS word still thinks tolerancing is not a word or is misspelled). We all know it is a word.
In my first job AGDT (After GD&T Training) I worked with a lot of machines and a lot of dowels patterns that people always wanted located to unimportant edges (“the from the edge guys”, always 2 dowels in case some don’t know), I said: “fine, we have this new tool called composite position tolerancing that was perfect for that”. Eventually, the question was asked: “now, can we put an orientation on the centerline between the dowels to refine for orientation”. “Not in the ANSI world”, I said, “this is explicitly prohibited”, if we were ISO well life would have been easy. I was told the committee was working on just that issue, and, the restatement of secondary datums in a composite position tolerance would do just that. We were also instructed that since the standard did not actually show it we may want to add a flagnote to explain what we meant. This practice is part of the standard now and since Y14.5-1994 an accepted practice, some apparently argued it was implied before in the 82, but, it was not explicitly shown.
Out here in the real world we do not always have time to wait for the politicians to make decisions, the job has a deadline and we need tools to do the job. MMC and LMC (also a new concept at the time) are good valid tools, adding it to profile tolerances to get the job done foe the heavy hitters is great, but why take it away from the poor little radius, Is it really because it is hard to measure? Life isn’t always easy.
There’s lots I want to get into with guys who are interested in exploring ideas.
Like:
To circle “E” or to circle “I”, that is the question?
Why not true position of a surface instead of profile?
Why perpendicular and parallel, not just orientation?
Is a feature defined by a radius really different than the same one defined as diameter?
Doesn’t anyone out there use the dreaded ISO and like it?
How can rule #1 not be a violation of all the logic all we are trained in as engineers and assume the worst case, as ISO does, by the way. Must we cling to our calipers in one hand and our concept that we will someday actually produced that perfect feature at MMC in the other? (When I am asked by the shop to accept an oversize shaft is it more perfect, then?)
Anyway thanks, if you bothered to read this far, I guess I will get off my soapbox for now to give someone else a chance.
 
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Ok guys. Where do I find the time. In two days on this thread there is a book. I applaud everyone's ambition to discuss GD&T like this.

Again after a quick read I have only a few cents to through in.
Reducing the number of words has no benefit, none.
Explicit communication provides for more explicit design intent and design intent transfer. And the explicit tools of ASME Y14.5 provide a language to express what is really functionally important. Sometimes the surface (entire surface) is functional and somethimes it is not; often so!

The profile tool can not take advantage of the functional additional available tolerance that position can; simple. Can the standard change the rules and allow mmc for profile? I suppose so but what is the benefit. Can we use a screwdriver to remove paint and pliers to turn bolts? Of course, c- mechanics do it all the time. lol

I am missing something on whatever the issue is with dimensioning to centerlines. What am I missing? Is this a problem? I don't see why if a "standard" is invoked on how to interpret that dimensioning.

I noted that the 2009 standard now allow for angularity to be used in place of parallel and perpendicularity. Chears for someone and it's no skin off my back, but what was the benefit?

I am not sure a get the issue around rule #1. Was the question wondering if a part exceeds the MMC boundary that a supplier jokes and thinks then it has to be "more" perfect? Just say no! It doesn't meet the size requirement and give the work to someone else. :) If we want to fundtionally allow features of size to exceed the MMC Boundary, we have tools for it. So what am I missing on that discussion?

Interesting to be back and sorry if I seem out of synch.

Norm

Norm Crawford
GDTP-S
Applied Geometrics, Inc.
 
Indeed, Norm. There is a minor benefit to user's understanding by allowing angularity to replace perpendicularity or parallelism in certain circumstances. I'm drawing a mental blank right now, but I remember seeing a VALID perpendicularity callout referencing two datums. It was expected that the reader would "understand" that the perpendicularity was to the first datum reference and the relationship to the second datum reference was parallelism. I've explained it numerous times to clients who had it on their customers' prints.

Jim Sykes, P.Eng, GDTP-S
Profile Services TecEase, Inc.
 
Also in the case of a tabulated part. If an angle is one of the variable dimensions and needs an angluarity tolerance, if the dimension was 90 degrees or 0 degrees, you would not need to change them to perpendicular and parallel.

Peter Stockhausen
Senior Design Analyst (Checker)
Infotech Aerospace Services
 
Jim -- I don't think that's the case (at least not in the standard; perhaps you saw that on a client's print!).

Perpendicularity to two datums has always been fine. It means that the surface in question is 90º in two different directions of space. (See Fig. 6-35 of the 1994 standard.)

Angularity is the one that was sometimes used to two datums to show different angular relationships. It was a way streamline things: instead of having a feature control frame of perpendicularity to A and another frame of parallelism to B (same number), angularity could be used once while referencing both A and B.
Technically this wasn't kosher in 1994 (see para. 6.6.2 of 1994) but now it is explicitly allowed (Fig 6-4 of 2009 edition).

John-Paul Belanger
Certified Sr. GD&T Professional
 
That is how I have used it. You have a mounting surface and 2 doweled holes that are perpendicular to that mounting face. I want to specify the orientation of some other surface(s) to be perpendicular to the mounting surface and aligned to the dowel line, as a single installation. I do not want perp to one and parallel/perp to the other, invoking 2 separate set ups.
 
fsincox,

Your dowel line example brings up a different issue, and goes beyond the "traditional" use of Perpendicularity. It requires referencing 3 datum features in the Perpendicularity FCF, which Y14.5 does not directly deal with. I think I've seen a similar example in a GD&T textbook though.

Evan Janeshewski

Axymetrix Quality Engineering Inc.
 
Jim - I seem to remember that there was such an example explained in a meeting somewhere at sometime. But I also thought to myself; "why not just use profile?" The only reason I can think of then is that the considered feature is a feature of size and design needs MMC. I would really appreciate you digging up that example for my own edification.
Pete- Your example does makes sense to me.

Can I assume, since profile would handle the tabulated part example except for a feature of size where MMC is by design, that this is where it all really came from?

Good discussion!

Norm Crawford
GDTP-S
Applied Geometrics, Inc.
 
PeterStock,
That is correct MMC was the default for ANSI as late as 1973. The story in 1982 was they were trying to harmonize more with the ISO standard. It also seemed to be a step in a more safe/conservitive direction.
Norm,
Composite profile was not in the 82 strandard, most places I see are still avoiding profile (I too, hope that changes).
My own inspectors were poo pooing it untill I told them: "just think of it like true position of a surface".
I thought there was also a "rule of thumb" that you don't use location if all you want is orientation.
 
Agree, Norm. To your extension, if the FOS is already located by a position at MMC, then doesn't a surface profile with datum references provide a refinement of orientation? Not the way I'd want to go necessarily because it would scare a lot of people to see it done that way, but technically valid.

Profile seems to confound and intimidate people until they really grasp its essence ... it's a boundary control. I see a lot of work that has a FOS with a position control (with & without modifiers) applied to a purely clearance feature. Walking them thru the actual functionality of the feature and the costs associated with verifying size & position separately often convinces them of the value of profile as an encompassing control. Some, of course, go "Yeah, right, I get it!" then "But we won't do that because nobody else will ever understand what we mean." Alrighty then, my work is done!

Jim Sykes, P.Eng, GDTP-S
Profile Services TecEase, Inc.
 
A couple of quick thoughts here...

Jim, I was thinking just the opposite! Profile is NOT a boundary control in the sense that a clearance pin or hole wants. Since profile on a hole or pin automatically controls size and form (think basic dim on the diameter), it would seem to be overconstraining a part to use profile for a mere clearance feature. The neat thing about position MMC is that we don't care very much about size and form, as long as the virtual condition is not violated.

Peter -- your last statement about a "rule of thumb" is interesting. I would say that if all you want is orientation, then you can't use a location control. I often see where folks put a position tolerance on a single hole relative to only one datum, which is the face of the part. If it were two holes (2X) then position is OK, but for one hole they should just be using perpendicularity.

John-Paul Belanger
Certified Sr. GD&T Professional
 
Sorry if I stir the pot just a tad more. (with hopes that I don't drive Mark crazy)
I submit that Fig 6-4 in the 2009 standard is a terrible example of the angularity do all thing.
First of all, the perp control, although valid, is just really bad practice. The "alternative practice" example that uses angularity, although valid, is just as bad. We know the figures are not intended to be "complete" drawings for simplicity. But, what if we were to finish the drawing of that part in Fig 6-4? The standard still requires that all characteristics of a feature that can be controlled shall be controlled. So, for the considered feature in Fig 6-4, how might we control the location if we "want" to only use the datum feature references for orientation only? Please Please Please don't tell me you can use a +/- linear dimension! The standard "allows" for a +/- linear dimension, but it would be bad practice. And if I am in charge, no you can't use the +/- linear locating dimension. :)
I know, let's imagine it is a feature of size and thus the +/- linear "size" dimension. I'm ok with that, but then would I really use Datum feature B as shown or would the FOS "realistically" be the functional datum feature?
I really feel for the Y14.5 committee. It seems that sometimes they have to spend all kinds of time solving the rediculous with all the; "well what if we 'want' to?; possabilities.
Fig 6-4 should add the "best practice" to the "alternative practice" and show a profile control.
Jim --- now you know why Mark always has to be with me at Y14.5 meetings; to keep me from rocking the boat. :)

Norm Crawford
GDTP-S
Applied Geometrics, Inc.
 
Norm:

You said " Please Please Please don't tell me you can use a +/- linear dimension! The standard "allows" for a +/- linear dimension, but it would be bad practice. And if I am in charge, no you can't use the +/- linear locating dimension."

Bad practice?? Maybe you can explain that a bit further.

I have see quite a few drawings that followed this approach with all surfaces having a default profile of a surface tolerance. In some cases, we had 4 levels of profile of a surface requirements. Possibly the larger tolerances mean that the surface has no functional value?? I really don't know.

I have difficult understanding how this approach clarifies a drawing reflecting its functional needs. The 2009 standard states in the foreword (vi) "that it is more important that the design more precisely state the functional requirements".

Tell me how your approach eliminating +/- tolerances for location "more precisely state the functional requirements".

Dave D.
 
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