Dialog Feature control frame
The dialog opens with the Feature control frame command and on double-clicking a placed frame (Edit feature control frame). It assembles geometrical tolerances per DIN EN ISO 1101. Connections: Feature control frames and datum features.
Fields
Row
A frame has up to three rows; each row carries its own characteristic with its own values and datums. The tabs 1, 2, 3 switch the row, + adds a row as a copy of the active one, − removes the active row.
Characteristic
The characteristic symbol, grouped per ISO 1101:
| Group | Characteristics | Datum |
|---|---|---|
| Form tolerances | Straightness, Flatness, Roundness, Cylindricity, Profile of a line, Profile of a surface | without datum (profile: optional) |
| Orientation tolerances | Parallelism, Perpendicularity, Angularity | datum required |
| Location tolerances | Position, Concentricity, Coaxiality, Symmetry | datum required |
| Run-out tolerances | Circular run-out, Total run-out | datum required |
For the four pure form tolerances the datum fields are disabled, and the dialog shows Form tolerances are specified without a datum (ISO 1101). For orientation, location and run-out tolerances without a primary datum, Orientation, location and run-out tolerances require a datum. appears — placing is still possible.
Tolerance zone
— (width), Ø (cylindrical zone) or SØ (spherical zone); the sign stands in the frame before the value.
Tolerance value
The tolerance value as text, for example 0.05 (factory default). Empty is written as 0.
Modifier
Additional symbol after the value per ISO 1101: M (maximum material requirement), L (least material requirement), E (envelope requirement), R (reciprocity requirement), F (free state), P (projected tolerance zone), T (tangent feature), A (associated feature), CZ (common zone), SZ (separate zones) or —.
Datums: primary, secondary, tertiary
Per datum a letter from the existing datum features and a modifier of its own. Common datums of two features are also available (A-B, per ISO 1101 with hyphen). If there are no datum features yet, the dialog points this out: Note: no datum features yet — create them with the "Datum feature" tool (A, B, C…).
Text before / after
Free text to the left and right of the frame, for example 2x before and PD after.
Leader arrow
- with arrow (only when creating, factory on): the first click after Place sets the arrow target on an element; the frame is bound to it.
- filled / open: shape of the arrowhead.
- Arrow size (mm): from 1 mm (factory 3). Size and fill are remembered for the next frame.
Place / Apply, Cancel
Place closes the dialog and starts placing; when editing, the button reads Apply and reports Feature control frame changed. Cancel or a click beside the dialog discards.
Dialog Datum feature
Double-click on a datum feature opens its dialog with the fields Identifier (one or two characters, upper case), Triangle (filled / open), Triangle size (mm) and Text height (mm). Apply reports Datum feature A changed. If the new identifier is already in use, the program asks Identifier A is already in use. Use anyway?; if feature control frames still use the old identifier, Warning: datum A is still used by tolerance frames. follows.