Tolerance Stack Up Analysis and Simulation Using Visualization VSA

Abstract

Tolerance analysis is used to predict the effects of manufacturing variation on finished products. Either design tolerances or manufacturing process data may be used to define the variation. VIS-VSA is a powerful dimensional analysis tool used to simulate manufacturing and assembly processes and predict the amounts and causes of variation VIS-VSA can help reduce the negative impact of variation on product dimensional quality, cost and time to market. Tolerance stackup in machining results from using operational datums that are different from design datums. It is inevitable due to economic considerations of the machining process. Conventional methods used for tolerance stackup analysis include worst-case and statistical analysis. These methods are based on strong assumptions and have certain drawbacks. The Monte-Carlo simulation is the most popular statistical tolerance technique currently in use. Comparative studies show that this new method has better accuracy than existing moment based techniques and is faster.