Graphs of optimally fit features in assessment of geometric tolerances

Abstract

This article presents an industrial application case of geometric constraint graphs, whose nodes are statistically optimal instances of manufacturing or design features and whose edges are usual geometric relations used in tolerance applications -- The features might be virtual ones -- As a consequence, they may lie beyond the piece’s extents -- The geometric constraint graph may have cyclic topology -- Contrary to deterministic geometric constraint graphs, tolerance constraint graphs admit numerical slacks, due to their stochastic nature -- The methodology has been applied in industrial scenarios, showing superiority to traditional material features for the assessment of tolerances