Feature Control Frame
Example Frame:
Definition:
In GD&T, a feature control frame is required to describe the conditions and
tolerances of a geometric control on a part’s feature. The feature control frame
consists of four pieces of information:
GD&T symbol or control symbol
Tolerance zone type and dimensions
Tolerance zone modifiers: features of size, projections…
Datum references (if required by the GD&T symbol)
This information provides everything you need to determine what geometrical
tolerance needs to be on the part and how to measure or determine if the part is in
specification.
Parts of the Feature Control Frame
1. Leader Arrow – This arrow points to the feature that the geometric control is
placed on. If the arrow points to a surface than the surface is controlled by the
GD&T. If it points to a diametric dimension, then the axis is controlled by GD&T.
The arrow is optional but helps clarify the feature being controlled.
2. Geometric Symbol – This is where your geometric control is specified. See
our page on GD&T symbols or the sidebar for a description of each symbol.
3. Diameter Symbol (if required) – If the geometric control is a diametrical tolerance
then the diameter symbol (Ø) will be in front of the tolerance value.
4. Tolerance Value – If the tolerance is a diameter you will see the Ø symbol next to
the dimension signifying a diametric tolerance zone. The tolerance of the GD&T
is in whatever unit of measure that the drawing is written in. All of our examples
on GD&T basics are metric units.
5. Feature of Size or Tolerance Modifiers (if required) – This is where you call out
max material condition or a projected tolerance in the feature control frame. See
the Modifiers section of the GD&T Symbols page for further clarification on these
features.
6. Primary Datum (if required) – If a datum is required, this is the main datum used
for the GD&T control. The letter corresponds to a feature somewhere on the part
which will be marked with the same letter. This is the datum that must be
constrained first when measuring the part. Note: The order of the datum is
important for measurement of the part. The primary datum is usually held in three
places to fix 3 degrees of freedom
7. Secondary Datum (if required) – If a secondary datum is required, it will be to the
right of the primary datum. This letter corresponds to a feature somewhere on the
part which will be marked with the same letter. During measurement, this is the
datum is fixated after the primary datum.
8. Tertiary Datum (if required) – If a third datum is required, it will be to the right of
the secondary datum. This letter corresponds to a feature somewhere on the part
which will be marked with the same letter. During measurement, this is the datum
is fixated last.
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Special Condition: Size Dimension – the diameter or size of the feature that the
geometric control is being called on. (See example below). It is optional to place the
feature control frame next to the size dimension of the feature called. However, when
a feature of size callout like max material condition is used the leader arrow will point
to the dimension and the feature control frame must be right underneath.
Special Condition: Datum Control – If the feature being referred to by the feature
control frame is also a datum, the datum symbol will show up off of the frame. This is
not mandatory as the datum control can also be placed directly on the feature in the
drawing as well.
Reading the Feature Control Frame
The feature control frame forms a kind of sentence when you read it. Below is how
you would read the frame in order to describe the feature.
This feature control frame would be read in the following way:
Be sure to check out our individual pages for each GD&T symbol for examples and
specific uses of the feature control frame.
