Tutorial 

Dimensioning & Tolerancing on 3D models

June 2007


This Tutorial  gives a  sequence of steps  when associating Geometric Dimensioning and tolerancing intelligently to a 3D model.

Note: If you have never used the GD&T Advisor  before, you should first  go through the online help of the GD&T Advisor to learn about the terms used in GD&T.
 




The above example shows a camera assembly with different parts. Single parts are associated with GD&T symbols. In this tutorial we will associate a  GD&T callout (a GD&T symbol) to a single part within this assembly.
 

 The Tolerance example for this tutorial:

Let's create a perpendicularity tolerance  which consists of one Datum A and a tolerance callout using the Datum A as the reference. The camera is mounted on two brackets which fit together as shown in the picture below. The lower mounting bracket is the part which will have the perpendicularity tolerance attached.
 

1. Load and activate the GD&T Advisor Module:

Under File > Modules > Additional Functionality click GD&T. This loads the GD&T Advisor module and also activates (without highlighting the yellow button) the Design Information functionality.

Note: As a prerequisite, the codeword of the GD&T module is available in the ME-License server file MEls.conf (see the installation directory of the ME-License server, or contact your system administrator).

2. Load  the 3D model

The model can be found under your installation directory ".../documentation/GDT_advisor/gdt_tut/models/camera1.pkg"

Load the package file and position the model  as shown in the picture. Select the bracket  part bkt.upper as the active part.

3. Open the GD&T  menu to associate GD&T symbols to 3D models

Open the Document3D menu and click GD&T. This offers to create Datums or Tolerances. A Datum must first exist before a Tolerance Callout can use it.

4. Create a Datum reference for a Tolerance Callout

Zoom into the model as shown in the picture  and position the model to attach a datum symbol.

Create a datum by pressing Datums and pick the planar inner  face of the bracket part.   It shows you the datum type surface which is a planar surface. Enter the identifier A and click ok. The datum flag A is then generated and put on the surface and displayed in perpendicular direction to  the surface.

 

5. Create the Perpendicularity Tolerance Callout

In the GD&T Create menu press Tolerances which offers to pick a face to attach a tolerance. The intended face should be perpendicular to the surface referenced by Datum A. Select the lower face of the bracket with the big through hole in the middle. Press Valid Types and the system shows which tolerance types are possible to attach. Select and click the Perpendicularity symbol. Modeling displays it in the menu.

Click OK. Then the Perpendicularity Menu shows up and you can enter further parameters. The mandatory parameters are indicated in yellow color. Fill in the required parameters. For example for the Zone Size enter 20. Then click the Datums button which gives you the choice to select a Datum on the model.
The Datum menu appears amd allows you to enter one or more Datums. For this perpendicularity Symbol only one Datum is required. Click Primary and select the Datum A on the 3D model in the viewport. Click OK, then the Datum reference is defined as shown in the menu. You can attach optional Fixed Text or pick advanced options if you wish. Click OK and the tolerance callout is  shown on the 3D model. See in  the picture below.


Perpendicularity Tolerance with the Datum A and
the Tolerance callout including the tolerance zone

6. Display and position the tolerance symbols on the 3D model according to your needs

The Tolerance callout symbols and the Datum references can be repositioned or oriented according to user requirements. In the Properties menu you can modify the appearance of the symbols.

Store the work you've done so far. You can elaborate other tolerance types yourself.