The pace at ETI has been pretty busy as we continue to develop products and workshops for the new ASME Y14.5-2009 Standard.

We’re nearing completion of the new version of our pocket guide. The GD&T Ultimate Pocket Guide based on ASME Y14.5-2009 will be published in mid-November.

Besides updating it to the 2009 standard, we’ve also added new features to the pocket guide, including:

• A spiral binding that allows the guide to lay flat
• Index tabs on the page edges that provide quick access to topics
• Fold out front and back covers that are packed with reference information
• An additional 50% more information about GD&T topics
• More applications examples to help you envision the concepts
• Cross-references with ASME Y14.5-2009 Standard
• A larger format that provides more room for charts and figures, but still fits in a shirt pocket

The guide will be ready soon, and pre-orders will be taken early next month.

Due to popular demand, we’ve added another 3-hour ASME update seminar to our live web course schedule:

“A Quick Look at the ASME Y14.5-2009 Standard”
Monday, November 2, 2009
1 pm – 4 pm EST
Instructor: Roy Cross

The 3-hour lecture introduces the major changes to the ASME Y14.5-2009 Standard.
It provides insights as to why the changes were made and a short introduction to many of the changes/new features. It also includes a discussion about when it makes sense to implement the new standard.

The seminar price is $70.

Each seminar participant receives:

• Session notes, by Alex Krulikowski
• “Deliberations on Dimensioning and Tolerancing Standards,” Alex Krulikowski’s white paper on developing a strategy for drawing standards
• An ASME Y14.5M-1994 – 2009 Comparison Chart set
• Discount on the one-day ASME Y14.5 1994-2009 Update Workshop

Session notes and comparison chart set will be shipped free within the continental U.S.

Register here

Due to popular demand, the 3-hour ASME update seminar is now available in  live web format:

“A Quick Look at the ASME Y14.5-2009 Standard”
Monday, September 14, 2009 (CLASS IS FULL)
1 pm – 4 pm EST
Instructor: Michael Adcock

The 3-hour lecture introduces the major changes to the ASME Y14.5-2009 Standard. Alex  was one of the participants in creating the new standard. His update session  provides insights as to why the changes were made and provides a short introduction to many of the changes and new features. It also includes a discussion about when it makes sense to implement the new standard.

The regular price of this seminar is $50. Purchase Alex’s white paper/comparison chart package for $30 (plus shipping) and attend the live web session for free.

Each seminar participant receives:

• Session notes, by Alex Krulikowski
• Discount coupon for the one-day ASME Y14.5 1994-2009 Update Workshop

Session notes will be shipped with comparison chart package.

Congratulations to Jon Houck, the winner of the free seat at the ASME Y14.5-2009 Update Workshop, Monday, September 28, 2009, in Westland, Michigan.

Mr. Houck was a participant in our recent survey regarding adopting the new ASME Standard. In June, we selected one name from the group for a free seat to our workshop. The regular price of the workshop is $375.00, but Mr. Houck will attend for free.

There are still a few seats available for the ASME Y14.5-2009 Update Workshop. The one-day workshop teaches about the pertinent changes made to the Y14.5 standard. It explains how the subject matter has been reorganized, and about new sections that have been created for profile, orientation, and form.

Read more course details or register here.

Here’s a question we received last week…

I have been talking with some drafters and engineers about the standard and have heard varying answers. I’m wondering about when you state the ASME Y14.5-2009 Standard on your drawing in a note or in a title block what it actually means.

Ex. “INTERPRET DIMENSIONING AND TOLERANCING PER STANDARD ASME Y14.5-2009″

Does it mean that the print will always be dimensioned using GD&T?

Does it force you to only dimension using GD&T, or can you use the basic limit dimensioning style?

Does the basic limit dimensioning style still fall under that standard?

Brian Mebruer
Cooper Industries

Great question! People often wonder if invoking the Y14.5 Standard means that they can no longer use limit dimensions (some call it coordinate tolerancing). The Y14.5 Standard does allow the use of limit dimensions. Also, when specifying the Y14.5 Standard, it invokes Rule #1, which helps to clarify where limit dimensions are used as size dimensions.

However, the Y14.5 Standard discourages the use of limit dimensions for locating features of size (i.e. holes, widths, tabs, etc.).

Using limit dimensions for locating features of size has three major shortcomings:

1. The square (or rectangular) tolerance zones are overly restrictive.
2. The tolerance zones are always a fixed size.
3. There are no specifications for how to hold the part for measurement.

The first two shortcomings result in less tolerance for manufacturing. The third shortcoming of limit dimensioning is that it results in confusion or disputes over inspection results. The lack of datum specifications leaves the drawing with at least several interpretations.

I hope this helps.

Alex

The new ASME standard contains numerous changes that affect the specification and interpretation of tolerancing. Companies deciding whether or not to update to the new standard need to understand what has changed and how these changes will impact their product.

As one of the people involved in creating this new version of ASME Y14.5, I have developed a one-day “ASME Y14.5-2009 Update Workshop” that will teach you about the pertinent changes to the standard. This workshop covers over sixty significant revisions, additions, and deletions to the standard. I’ll explain new features and compare them to the 1994 Standard. As part of the course, you’ll receive a set of comprehensive, illustrated charts that highlight itemized changes in the standard.

This drawing shows a small percentage of the changes in the ASME Y14.5 Standard. Click to see the entire drawing.

I’ll explain the major changes to the standard, including:

• Over thirty new or revised terms
• Sixteen new or revised symbols
• Revisions and additions to the fundamental rules
• Revisions and additions to the concept of feature of size
• Revisions and new symbols for datum specifications
• Revisions to composite position tolerances
• Surface boundaries and axis methods of interpretation
• Revisions and new additions to profile tolerances

The ASME Y14.5 1994-2009 Update Course will help you to:

• Understand changes in the standard
• Learn about new symbols and how to apply them to drawings
• Determine the impact of the new standard

ETI can provide this training at your site, and it is also being offered as a public workshop in Michigan on Monday, September 28, 2009. The regular price of this workshop is $375; the first 10 registrants pay only $175.

Attendees must have a basic understanding of Y14.5-1994 Dimensioning and Tolerancing practices.

The new ASME standard contains numerous changes that affect the specification and interpretation of tolerancing. As one of the participants in the creation of the new standard, I will provide insights as to why the changes were made at a lecture on August 13th, from 9 am-12 noon, here in Michigan.

“A Quick Look at the ASME Y14.5-2009 Standard” is a short, 3-hour session about the new ASME Y14.5-2009 Standard. This update session will get you started in understanding the depth of the changes and new features, and it includes a discussion about when it makes sense to implement the new standard. Topics covered include:

• The ASME standards development process
• Introduction to new and revised terms
• Introduction to new and revised symbols
• Synopsis of major changes and why they were made
• Discussion on implementing the new standard
• Questions/answer session

The introductory price of this workshop is $50, but the first 20 people to purchase my white paper/comparison chart package for $30 can attend for free.

A few months ago, I created a survey asking whether companies plan to adopt the new Y14.5-2009 standard, stay with the 1994 standard, or change to ISO standards. Using statistics elicited from the survey responses, I have developed a white paper addressing these issues.

“Deliberations on Dimensioning and Tolerancing Standards” is a 12-page paper that will help organizations decide what path may be the best for them. It includes a summary of the major changes to the ASME Y14.5 standard and insight into what other companies are planning. It also includes my deliberations and recommendations on changing dimensioning standards.

It’s available for $25 on our website.

I’ve had many clients ask me what’s new in the ASME Y14.5-2009 Standard. As you can imagine, a standard that has been 15 years in the making contains numerous changes. There are over 20 new or revised symbols and over 40 new or revised terms. In fact, almost every paragraph of the standard has some revision.

In order to provide a quick reference illustrating many of the standard changes and additions, I’ve created a set of charts comparing the features of ASME Y14.5M-1994 and ASME Y14.5-2009.

The New Features Comparison Chart Set is a comprehensive set of two, 2-sided, 11×17 charts that itemize changes in the standard. It highlights additions, revisions, and modifications to symbols, terms, and modifiers, including changes to the MMC modifier, feature of size and “irregular” feature of size, the new datum translation modifier, and numerous other new features.

Because it provides the 2009 standard references, you can quickly look up additional information as you need to on the job. The charts fits neatly in a 3-ring binder.

The two-chart set is only $12.

By now, many of you have heard that ASME Y14.5-2009 has been released. The new version of the dimensioning and tolerancing standard for GD&T incorporates many significant changes, including:

• New symbols and terms
• Revisions to concepts, symbols, and terms
• Clarification to existing concepts

Many companies are in the midst of cost-reduction programs and are under intense pressure to increase productivity. As a result, the timing of this new standard’s release has caused an unexpected challenge for industry. Changing dimensioning and tolerancing standards is a major effort, and the decision should be made with as much information as possible.

Here at ETI, companies have been requesting information about what is going on in industry relative to dimensioning and tolerancing standards. With that in mind, I have created a short survey to collect statistics regarding companies’ plans for either adopting the new standard or adopting ISO standards.

When the survey is complete, I will share the results with all the survey participants. I will also provide a white paper of my personal insights on the benefits and risks of early adoption. It will discuss points to consider when deciding to adopt the new ASME standard or change to ISO standards.

I hope you will take a few minutes to complete this short, 10-question survey. The individual results will be confidential; only group data will be published.

Best regards,
Alex