Glossary

Tolerance

What dimensional tolerance means in manufacturing drawings, why tighter is not always better, and how to specify tolerances for UK factory quotes.

What it is

A tolerance is the allowable variation on a dimension or property. It tells a factory how precise a feature must be — and how much variation is still acceptable.

Sourcing tip

Defaulting every dimension to ultra-tight tolerances raises cost without improving the product. Tighten interfaces that matter; use general tolerances elsewhere, and mark critical-to-quality features clearly.

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