Limits, Fits and
Tolerances
Classification of drawings
Engineering or Machine Drawing
Production Drawing
Assembly Drawing
Basic Terminology in Limits, fits,
Tolerances
• Basic Size: calculated by the design engineer to
withstand expected loads without failure
• Standard Size: Standard components eg. Nuts and
Bolts (for interchangeability)
• Actual Size: measured dimensions of the part.
Bound to have variations.
Variations on account of material variation,
environmental fluctuations, vibrations, human skill level,
measurement variations etc.
• Basic size—the theoretical size used as a
starting point for the application of tolerances.
For example
Ø50.0
• Actual size—the measured size of the finished
part after manufacturing.
For example
Ø50.2
or
Ø49.7
• Fundamental deviation—the deviation closest to the basic
size, upper or lower.
DEVIATIONS
Fit
Fit refers to the degree of tightness or looseness
between two mating parts.
Loose Fit Tight Fit Perfect Fit
Clearance fit
In a clearance fit, the internal
member (e.g., shaft) is always
smaller than the external
member (e.g., hole).
Clearance fit
The shaft is free to turn inside the hole.
Lower Limit
50
SHAFT 46 HOLE
Clearance fit
The shaft is free to turn inside the hole.
Upper Limit
50
SHAFT 48 HOLE
Clearance fit
The shaft is free to turn inside the hole.
48
Tolerance
46
50
Lower
SHAFT
Limit 46 HOLE
Clearance fit
The shaft is free to turn inside the hole.
48
Tolerance
46
52
Lower
SHAFT
Limit 46 HOLE
Clearance fit
The shaft is free to turn inside the hole.
52
Tolerance
50
48
Tolerance
46
Lower
SHAFT
Limit 46 HOLE
Clearance fit
The shaft is free to turn inside the hole.
Max Clearance = 52 – 46 = 6
52
Tolerance
50
48
Tolerance
46
Lower
SHAFT
Limit 46 HOLE
Clearance fit
The shaft is free to turn inside the hole.
52
Tolerance
Min Clearance = 50 – 48 = 2 50
48
Tolerance
46
Lower
SHAFT
Limit 46 HOLE
Interference fit
In an interference fit, the
internal member is always
larger than the external
member. An interference fit
requires that the two parts be
forced together to form an
assembly.
Interference fit
The shaft is NOT free to turn inside the hole.
56
Tolerance
54
52
Tolerance
50
SHAFT
Lower Limit 46 HOLE
Interference fit
The shaft is NOT free to turn inside the hole.
Min Interference = 52 – 54 = -2 or 2
56
Tolerance
54
52
Tolerance
50
SHAFT
Lower Limit 46 HOLE
Interference fit
The shaft is NOT free to turn inside the hole.
Max Interference = 50 – 56 = -6 or 6
56
Tolerance
54
52
Tolerance
50
SHAFT
Lower Limit 46 HOLE
Transition fit
Transition fit occurs when two
mating parts are sometimes an
interference fit and sometimes a
clearance fit when assembled.
In a transition fit, either the
internal shaft or the external
hole may be larger, so that
parts either slide or are forced
together.
Transition fit
Max Interference = 50 – 53 = -3 Max Clearance = 52 – 51 = 1
53
Tolerance 52
51 Tolerance
50
SHAFT
Lower Limit 46 HOLE
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Basic Size is the theoretical size
from which a tolerance is
assigned.
Basic Size
52
51
53
50
49
48
SHAFT
HOLE
Basic Hole System
• In the basic hole system, the minimum (i.e.,
lower limit) hole size is taken as the basic size.
Min Hole Size = Basic Size
Basic Shaft System
• In the basic shaft system, the maximum (i.e.,
upper limit) shaft is taken as the basic size
Max Shaft Size = Basic Size
Example 4
Example 5
Example 6
Tolerances
• Tolerances are used to control the variation
that exists on all manufactured parts.
• Toleranced dimensions control the amount of
variation on each part of an assembly.
• The amount each part is allowed to vary
depends on the function of the part and of the
assembly.
Tolerances
• For example, the tolerances placed on hand-
drill parts are not as stringent as those placed
on jet engine parts.
Cut Section of a
Hand Drill
Jet Engine
• The more accuracy needed in the machined
part, the higher the manufacturing cost.
Need for Tolerances
• Requirement for interchangeability between mass
produced parts
• The inherent inaccuracy of manufacturing methods
Tolerancing
• A tolerance of 4.650 ±0.003 means that the
final measurement of the machined part can be
anywhere from 4.653 to 4.647 and the part
would still be acceptable.
Tolerancing
4.650 ±0.003
4.647 4.653
Lower Limit Upper Limit
Who decides Tolerances?
• Functionality or
Application
• Manufacturing
processes
• Size of
part/component
• Manufacturing cost
Representation of Tolerances
Method 1 Basic Size with Deviations
Representation of Tolerances
Method 2 Maximum and Minimum Limits
Representation of Tolerances
Method 3 Basic Size and Fundamental Deviation
Basic Size + Fundamental Deviation + IT Grade
Example: 90 f7
IT Grade 7
Basic size 90 mm
Fundamental deviation
for shaft (lowercase
letter f)
Representation of Tolerances
Method 3 (cont’d)
Uppercase letters for
holes or internal
features
Lowercase letters for
shafts or external
features
Table 1:
IT Grades in microns (common for Holes and Shafts)
Fundamental deviation—the deviation
closest to the basic size, upper or
lower.
Fundamental Deviations : Hole
Table 2 :
Fundamental Deviations for Holes in microns
Fundamental Deviations : Shaft
Table 3 :
Fundamental Deviations for Shafts in microns
Determination of deviations
EXAMPLE 1
Tolerance size for a hole 90 F7 and for a shaft
90 f7
Standard Tolerance Grades
(Table 1)
90 F7
90 f7
Consequently, the standard tolerance value is: 35 μm
Fundamental Deviations for
Holes (Table 2)
90 F7
The lower deviation (fundamental deviation) EI is: +36 μm
Determination of deviations
EXAMPLE 1 Toleranced size for a hole 90 F7
Establishment of limit deviations
Step 1: The standard tolerance value
from step 1 was found to be 35 μm
IT7 = 35 μm
Step 2: Lower limit deviation EI = +36 μm
Step 3: Upper limit deviation
ES = EI + IT = +36 + 35 = +71 μm
Fundamental Deviations for
Shafts (Table 3)
90 f7
Determination of deviations
Establishment of limit deviations
EXAMPLE 2 Toleranced size for a shaft 90 f7
Step 1: The standard tolerance value
from step 1 was found to be 35 μm
IT7 = 35 μm
Step 2: Upper limit deviation es = −36 μm
Step 3: Lower limit deviation
ei = es − IT = −36 − 35 = −71 μm
EXAMPLE 2
Example
Figure shows overall limits on length as 100.0 and 99.5. Two holes are drilled at equal
distance from centre line at distance of 30 mm. calculate the limits for size A. The same
tolerance as of A is applied for the vertical distance between the centre lines of the
circles. Calculate the limits for size B.
Thank You
