ABSTRACT
A promising method of tolerance allocation uses optimization techniques to assign component tolerances that minimize the cost of production of an assembly. The optimization algorithm varies the tolerance for each component and searches systematically for the combination of tolerances that minimize the cost. Tolerance synthesis, also called tolerance allocation, is carried out in a direction opposite to tolerance analysis, from the tolerance of the function of interest to the individual tolerances. An important distinction in tolerance specification is that engineers are more commonly faced with the problem of tolerance allocation rather than tolerance analysis. Tolerance transer aims to transfer tolerance requirements from the design stage to the manufacturing stage, while respecting the precision capabilities of machinery, making full use of the allowance by the design and taking into account machining errors, set-up errors, tool wears, and so on. Tolerance evaluation deals with how to assess the geometric deviations of a part using the data obtained from the coordinate measuring machines.
