Hey all! I was impressed with the answers to my last question, so I am back.
Another topic discussed is how to dimension a feature on a part, for example a shaft of nominal diameter 5.000". I am using RC4, so the shaft is to be made with -.0016 to -.0032 as a tolerance. I have up to this point used bilateral dimensioning. I realize the machinist has to do the math on the 5.000" number to get the numbers to manufacture too. If I were to use limit, the numbers on the print would read 4.9984"-4.9680". Again, the machinist would have to do math if wants to hit mean. What do you guys prefer?
Now, to throw in an additional argument. When I model this part in solidworks, I dimension the part to the nominal 5.000". I have read some places will actually put the mean dimension in the model, so in this case 4.9976". The print will then either read a symmetric +/-.0008 or do the limit again. The reason they do this is because we now have the CAM software that will import the model. If the model is made to that mean dimension, the programmer will not have to make any changes.
I do not know any CAM software, how it works or how much work these different cases put on the machinist/programmer. So that is essentially my question, what makes it easier on others? I know if someone is measuring it is easier to see limit dimensions as that is the output on the caliper without any math.
Another topic discussed is how to dimension a feature on a part, for example a shaft of nominal diameter 5.000". I am using RC4, so the shaft is to be made with -.0016 to -.0032 as a tolerance. I have up to this point used bilateral dimensioning. I realize the machinist has to do the math on the 5.000" number to get the numbers to manufacture too. If I were to use limit, the numbers on the print would read 4.9984"-4.9680". Again, the machinist would have to do math if wants to hit mean. What do you guys prefer?
Now, to throw in an additional argument. When I model this part in solidworks, I dimension the part to the nominal 5.000". I have read some places will actually put the mean dimension in the model, so in this case 4.9976". The print will then either read a symmetric +/-.0008 or do the limit again. The reason they do this is because we now have the CAM software that will import the model. If the model is made to that mean dimension, the programmer will not have to make any changes.
I do not know any CAM software, how it works or how much work these different cases put on the machinist/programmer. So that is essentially my question, what makes it easier on others? I know if someone is measuring it is easier to see limit dimensions as that is the output on the caliper without any math.