What is tolerance value?
Henry Morales
Updated on May 08, 2026
Tolerance refers to the total allowable error within an item. This is typically represented as a +/- value off of a nominal specification.
What is meant by tolerance value?
The amount a value can change and still be acceptable. Example: a 5 mm tolerance means that the value should be within (plus or minus) 5 millimeters of the true value. Say our value is 125 mm, then anything between 120 and 130 is accepted, and we can show that as: 125 mm ± 5 mm.How do you determine tolerance value?
How to Choose Tolerances: A Step-by-Step Guide
- Step 1: Identify the tolerances that matter. ...
- Step 2: Perform a cost-benefit analysis. ...
- Step 3: Consider your materials. ...
- Step 4: Consider your manufacturing tools. ...
- Step 5: Consider the manufacturing process. ...
- Step 6: Account for tolerance slack. ...
- Step 7: Put it all together.