Using the tolerance advisor tool

00:09

In this exercise, we will be using the Tolerance Advisor Tool with Inventor Professional.

00:17

So once you create your first Tolerance feature with Inventor,

00:20

you'll notice the Tolerance Advisor is automatically going to show up in this tab here.

00:25

So underneath your part name in the browser, you'll see a list of warnings and error messages.

00:32

So general warnings will show up here.

00:34

And then if it's calling out a specific dimension that has a problem, it'll show up with a drop down folder like this.

00:43

So let's take a look at this "Diameter Dimension" here. "Diameter Dimension 1."

00:47

It says "Zero-value (or inconsistent) tolerance not allowed." If I'm not sure what that means,

00:53

I can get more information by right-clicking on the issue and going to "More information."

00:59

This will automatically open up that specific page in the Help manual and provide a resolution.

01:07

So it says, "To resolve this error, apply a tolerance to the sketch or feature dimension."

01:12

So the dimension does not have a tolerance applied to it. So it's not valid for GD&T.

01:19

So in order to fix that, I just need to go back to Inventor and apply a Tolerance to that 1.75 inch feature.

01:26

So I can click on that dimension. It highlights it in the graphics window.

01:30

I can double-click on it to open it up and then I'll double-click on the 1.750 value here.

01:37

And I'm going to change it from "Default" to "Limits-Stacked."

01:43

And I'm going to go ahead and make the upper limit a little larger. I'll go ahead and just make it 1.76.

01:51

So now there's a tolerance associated or there's a range for that diameter that it can fall within.

01:57

I can then hit the "Check Mark," it updates that value.

02:02

And now you'll notice in the Tolerance Advisor, that warning message has gone away.

02:09

Now you'll see there are two error messages remaining. The first one says "Model contains external annotation elements."

02:15

This error message shows up any time you have dimensions or notes that have been added on to the 3D model,

02:23

that are not analyzed by the Tolerance Advisor.

02:26

So these dimensions here are not controlled by the advisor.

02:31

And so you want to make sure that if you add additional dimensions, that they are basic,

02:36

or you have a note like I do that says, "Unless otherwise specified, all dimensions basic."

02:41

So I've covered my bases there. I can ignore that message.

02:45

Now, the second message I get is one or more surfaces are unconstrained.

02:50

If I'm not sure what surfaces still need to be managed with a Tolerance,

02:56

I can use the Face Status Coloring tool which is at the bottom of the Tolerance Advisor browser.

03:02

So if I click on this to turn it on, you'll see anything that's fully constrained will show up green,

03:07

anything that's partially constrained will be yellow, unconstrained will just be gray,

03:12

and then constrained by a surface profile will be light blue.

03:17

So as you add additional tolerances, these surfaces should change color.

03:23

So if I add a profile tolerance to this internal surface here,

03:28

it should turn green. So if I go to Tolerance Feature,

03:31

and I go ahead and I select all these internal faces, so I'm going to hold "Shift" while I do this,

03:38

so that I can click those four faces.

03:42

I'll then hit the "Check Mark,"

03:44

and it adds a profile tolerance to those relative to A, C and B.

03:53

Now, if I click the "Check Mark,"

03:57

notice now with face status coloring on, it's turned those surfaces green.

04:02

So they are fully constrained because I've related it to A, C and B.

04:08

Now, they'll turn light blue if you've added a general profile note.

04:12

So a specific profile note like this turns them green.

04:16

If I add a general profile note, so I'll click on "General Profile Note," I'll click in the top left corner.

04:26

If I apply something like that and I go ahead and I right-click on the profile and I edit,

04:32

I'm going to change the DRF to ACB, Click "OK."

04:37

And then click "OK" again,

04:39

you'll notice that every other surface now is light blue because it's been picked up by a general profile tolerance,

04:44

whereas the specific profile tolerance will activate a green coloring.

04:50

And now all surfaces have some type of tolerance on them.

04:53

So that error message in the Tolerance Advisor has now gone away.

04:58

And this drawing is mostly complete.

05:02

I can then go fine tune it with additional notes and call outs.

05:05

But for now, I'm happy with the results.