Technical Understanding: Geometrical Analysis and Dimensional Tolerancing

[Wood]

Care to elaborate? Just dimensional tolerancing in general?

Not so much tolerancing, but the effect of tolerancing on large scale projects. I work for an engineering firm that designs primarily power generation facilities that operate off of fossil fuels. Being off by even 1/16th of an inch on a pipe connection, to let say a turbine, can mean the difference between a 500 lb load on the connection or a 50,000lb load. And this is with a pipe that is probably over 300 ft in length.

I guess that's why most things are designed with a factor of safety, no?

 

[grambles423]

I guess that's why most things are designed with a factor of safety, no?

True. Crash test standards are our worst nightmares

Our designs mostly entail stack ups from the datum which can throw a bumper gap off by about 2mm. We do our best during planning and design to eliminate these stack ups but some just fall through the crack.

 

[Wood]

I can only imagine......
At least if I screw up only a few people get killed in the blast.
Cars are a totally different story.....