Tolerance Analysis Considering Manufacturing Variability and the Cost of Deviating from the Nominal

Abstract

A number of different formulae for tolerance analysis and synthesis have appeared over the years. This article discusses the interrelationships between alternative formulae, showing how each is best for a specific set of assumptions regarding the cost of deviating from the nominal and the distributions of dimensions of parts. To increase the use of appropriate statistical tolerancing, a procedure is outlined for converting process capability studies into a simple formula tailored to a given manufacturing organization.