Does anyone know anything about drawing tolerances? 
 
I am interested in finding out if someone is aware or can point me to info on "self-tolerancing".  I'm not sure if this is the correct term or not, as I can't find anything under this term on Google.
 
If I specify a dimension as 10 mm, without stating a tolerance, the self tolerance would default to �0.5 mm.  For 10.0 mm, the self tolerance is � 0.05 mm, for 10.00, it would be � 0.005 mm, etc.
 
I believe the way it works, is that a number like 10 mm � 0.5 mm can be seen as 9.5 ~ 10.5 mm.  When properly rounded upward, any number between 9.5~10.5 mm would round back to 10. 
 
For 10.00 mm � 0.005 mm, this relates to 9.995~10.005 mm.  Again, any rounding of any number inbetween 9.995 and 10.005 would be 10.00.
 
Thus self tolerances allows for a range of numbers that would effectively be equal to the desired dimension if rounded.  I'm not sure if this is the actual explanation used to describe this method, but it is one I understand.
 
So if anyone is aware of this method and has used it, please let me know.  I tried to explain to a co-worker today that with metric dimensions if no tolerances are given on a drawing, the number of digits past the decimal determine the tolerance by implying self-tolerance as explained.  She never heard of it and I couldn't find any referances to back up my explanation.
 
Euric
 
 

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