ANSI And ISO Geometric Tolerancing Symbols

There are several standards available worldwide to describe the symbols and the rules. These are
American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME Y14.5M-2009, (GD&T - Geometric Dimensioning and
Tolerancing) and International Organization for Standardization, ISO/TC 213, (GPS - Geometrical Product
Specification) and ISO/TC 10 Technical Product Documentation (see the ISO GPS Specifications and
verification List). The ISO (GPS) standards are typically only address a single topic at a time.ISO/TC 213
is a technical committee that standardizes tolerancing and related metrological practices. ASME Y14.5M
standard has the advantage of providing a fairly complete set of standards for GD & T in one document.

Geometric Tolerancing Reference Chart ASME Y14.5M And ISO/TC 213

Datum
Needed

Applicable Modifiers
(RMS, LMC, MMC)

Straightness

No

LMC or MMC can

apply to feature of size

Form

Flatness

No

Does not apply

Form

Circularity

No

Does not apply

Form

Cylindricity

No

Does not apply

Profile

Line Profile

No

Does not apply

Profile

Surface Profile

No

Does not apply

Orientation

Perpendicularity

Yes

LMC or MMC can

apply to feature of size

Orientation

Angularity

Yes

LMC or MMC can

apply to feature of size

Orientation

Parallelism

Yes

LMC or MMC can

apply to feature of size

Tolerances

Characteristics

Form

Symbols

Location

Symmetry

Yes

RFS always

Location

Positional

Yes And No

LMC or MMC can

apply to feature of size

Location

Concentricity

Yes

RFS always

Runout

Circular Runout

Yes

RFS always

Runout

Total Runout

Yes

RFS always

Additional Geometric Tolerancing Symbol Chart ASME Y14.5M And

ISO/TC 213
Description

Symbols

References

Max Material Condition

(MMC)

ISO 2692/ASME

Least Material Condition

(LMC)

ISO 2692/ASME

Regardless Of Feature
Size (RFS)

ISO/ASME

Spherical Diameter (SD)

ISO/AMSE

Radius

ISO/ASME

Diameter

ISO/ASME

Envelope Requirement

ISO/ASME

Free State Condition(Non

Rigid Parts)

ISO
10579/ASME

Minor Diameter

ISO/ASME

Major Diameter

ISO/ASME

Pitch Diameter

ISO/ASME

Common Zone

ISO/ASME

Exact Dimension

ISO/ASME

Dimension Origin

ISO/ASME

All Round (Profile)

ISO
NONE/ASME

Datum Feature Indication

ISO/ASME

Datum Target Indication

ISO 5459

Projected Tolerance Zone

ISO
10578/ASME

Geometric Dimensioning And Tolerancing Reading

Geometric Dimensioning And Tolerancing reading is very important to understand detailed drawings. It
helps to read drawings for engineers, designers, manufacturers etc. what surface has to be machined
carefully. Geometric tolerancing reading helps to understand to specify and control the form, location and
orientation of the features of components and manufactured parts. Geometric Dimensioning and
Tolerancing is an efficient method for describing the tolerancing mandated by the designer of the part.
The Datum axis or Datum planes are to be used for locating other features. With GD&T all inspection will
result in the same result. It will help to understand if the dimension is within or out of tolerance. Geometric
Dimensioning and Tolerancing forces the designers to totally consider functions, manufacturing
processes, and inspection methods. These explanations would be good answers to why GD&T
should be used. Chosen geometric tolerance and modifier/modifiers will be shown in Tolerance Feature
Indication/Feature Control Frame. Tolerance control frame is a rectangular symbol which contain
indications that define the geometrical tolerance for features. Geometric Tolerance defines the form and
the size of a tolerance zone. Tolerance zone may be one of the followings; the area within circle, the
space between two coaxial cylinders, the area between two parallel lines, the space within a cylinder, the

space between two parallel surfaces or two parallel planes the space within a geometrically a square or
rectangular prism or a solid with six faces, the area between two concentric circles,

Tolerance Feature Indication/Feature Control Frame Symbol.

Primary Datum, Secondary Datum, and Tertiary Datum Planes: Datums must be perpendicular to
each other.

Primary Datum Plane: The primary datum is selected to provide functional relationships,
standardizations and repeatability between surfaces. A standardization of size is desired in the
manufacturing of a part. Consideration of how parts are orientated to each other is very important. The
chosen primary datum must insure precise measurements.

Secondary Datum Plane: Secondary datums are produced perpendicular to the primary datum so
measurements can be referenced from them.

Tertiary Datum Plane: Tertiary datum is always perpendicular to both the primary and secondary datums
ensuring a fixed position from three related parts.

Understanding of Geometric Tolerancing Modifiers

The Modifiers (MMC,LMC,RFS) are used to clarify implied tolerances. There are three directly implied
modifiers to the tolerance value. These are;
1-) Regardless of Feature Size (RFS)
2-) Maximum Material Condition (MMC)
3-) Least Material Condition (LMC)