TOLERANCE CHARTING - THE STATE-OF-THE-ART REVIEW

The tolerance chart is a tolerance analysis tool used by process plann ers in the determination of the working dimensions and tolerances of c omponents during their manufacture. The control of tolerances is impor tant in determining production cost and functionality. However, its me rits are not exploited by small and medium-size industries, as compare d to the larger automobile and aircraft corporations. This paper is a review of existing tolerance charting methods, and of an algorithm dev eloped in the course of simplification. The specification of blueprint dimensions can to be justified by process and machine capability and the considerations of economics of production. The tolerance allocatio n problem and its application are discussed with reference to over 50 published works. Is tolerance charting an ultimate answer to our searc h for automated manufacturing competitiveness?