What is ASME Y14.41

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers

American Society of Mechanical Engineers

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers is a professional body, specifically an engineering society, focused on mechanical engineering....

 (ASME) issued the first version of this industrial standard on Aug 15, 2003. It was immediately adopted by several industrial organizations, as well as the Department of Defense

United States Department of Defense

The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...

 (DOD). For many potential users, there remains some confusion about the content and purpose of the standard.

ASME Y14.41-2003 was born of the need to utilize 3D CAD (computer-aided design

Computer-aided design

Computer-aided design , also known as computer-aided design and drafting , is the use of computer technology for the process of design and design-documentation. Computer Aided Drafting describes the process of drafting with a computer...

) data as a manufacturing and/or inspection source. In the late 1980s and early 1990s solid modeling and CAD

Computer-aided design

Computer-aided design , also known as computer-aided design and drafting , is the use of computer technology for the process of design and design-documentation. Computer Aided Drafting describes the process of drafting with a computer...

 were becoming important tools for engineers looking to create and define increasingly complex geometry

Geometry

Geometry arose as the field of knowledge dealing with spatial relationships. Geometry was one of the two fields of pre-modern mathematics, the other being the study of numbers ....

. For example, ergonomic

Ergonomics

Ergonomics is the study of designing equipment and devices that fit the human body, its movements, and its cognitive abilities.The International Ergonomics Association defines ergonomics as follows:...

 and aerodynamic

Aerodynamics

Aerodynamics is a branch of dynamics concerned with studying the motion of air, particularly when it interacts with a moving object. Aerodynamics is a subfield of fluid dynamics and gas dynamics, with much theory shared between them. Aerodynamics is often used synonymously with gas dynamics, with...

 contoured surfaces were extremely difficult to define on engineering drawings. In response to requests from various segments of the industry, a new subcommittee began development of the standard in 1998.

Since various companies (including Boeing

Boeing

The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...

, GM

General Motors

General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...

, General Dynamics

General Dynamics

General Dynamics Corporation is a U.S. defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures, and as of 2008 it is the fifth largest defense contractor in the world. Its headquarters are in West Falls Church , unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Falls Church area.The company has...

, and Alliant-Thiokol) had already begun utilizing the CAD data for industrial purposes without a standard, several definitions needed to be established as the universal interpretation. Also, since CAD software varied in capabilities, the standard was written with a great deal of flexibility.

ASME Y14.41-2003 is also the basis for the international standard ISO

International Organization for Standardization

The International Organization for Standardization , widely known as ISO, is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations. Founded on February 23, 1947, the organization promulgates worldwide proprietary, industrial and commercial...

 16792:2006 Technical product documentation -- Digital product definition data practices. Both standards focus on the presentation of GD&T

Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing

Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing is a system for defining and communicating engineering tolerances. It uses a symbolic language on engineering drawings and computer-generated three-dimensional solid models for explicitly describing nominal geometry and its allowable variation...

 together with the geometry of the product.

The standard is separated into 3 industrial practices

Models Only: These portions cover the practices, requirements, and interpretation of the CAD data when there is no engineering drawing. While ASME Y14.41-2003 is commonly called the "solid model standard," this is misleading. The standard was intentionally written for different user levels.

Models and Drawing: These portions cover what is commonly called "reduced content drawings" or "minimally dimensioned drawings," where an engineering drawing is available, but does not contain all the necessary information for producing the part or assembly.

Drawings only: These portions of the standard allow the historical practices of using engineering drawings to define a product. However, this standard adds to the practices defined in ASME Y14.5 for Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing

Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing

Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing is a system for defining and communicating engineering tolerances. It uses a symbolic language on engineering drawings and computer-generated three-dimensional solid models for explicitly describing nominal geometry and its allowable variation...

 with some additional symbols

Engineering drawing symbols

Engineering drawing abbreviations and symbols are used to communicate and detail the characteristics of an engineering drawing.-See also:*List of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing symbols...

, the use of axonometric

Axonometric projection

Axonometric projection is a type of parallel projection, more specifically a type of orthographic projection, used to create a pictorial drawing of an object, where the object is rotated along one or more of its axes relative to the plane of projection....

 views as dimensionable views, and the concept of supplemental geometry -- all of which can help to clarify the drawing and its interpretation.

Industries using Y14.41 and intended users

At the time of this writing, ASME Y14.41-2003 is being utilized in the aerospace

Aerospace

Aerospace comprises the atmosphere of Earth and surrounding space. Typically the term is used to refer to the industry that researches, designs, manufactures, operates, and maintains vehicles moving through air and space...

, automotive

Automobile

An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...

, defense

Defense (military)

Defense has several uses in the sphere of military application.Personal defense implies measures taken by individual soldiers in protecting themselves whether by use of protective materials such as armor, or field construction of trenches or a bunker, or by using weapons that prevent the enemy...

, and medical

Medicine

Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....

 industries. Several CAD software providers have taken notice of the general acceptance of this standard and are quickly expanding their respective software to capitalize on the abilities and requirements created through this standard.

The ASME Y14.41 Standard is for any company with engineering

Engineering

Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...

, manufacturing

Manufacturing

Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...

, or inspection

Inspection

An inspection is, most generally, an organized examination or formal evaluation exercise. In engineering activities inspection involves the measurements, tests, and gauges applied to certain characteristics in regard to an object or activity...

 practices that contain or utilize CAD data. If a company designs or creates mock-ups in 3D, then ASME Y14.41 is the standard of choice for universal interpretation and industrial practices. If a company employs CAD CAM manufacturing or computer-aided inspection (CAI), such as CMM (Coordinate Measuring Machine) inspection, then ASME Y14.41 is the standard of choice for universal interpretation and industrial practices.

• Description: ASME Y14.41-2003 Standard on Digital Product Definition Data Practices
• Order #: N17103
• ISBN #: 0791828107
• Published: 2003
• Product Type: Print-Book
• No. of pages: 102

External references

• ASME Website for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
• ASME Y14.41 Training A workshop teaching the ASME Y14.41-2003 Standard on Digital Product Definition Data Practices
• ASME Y14.41-2003 Standard Where to purchase the standard
• Math-Based Development Processes and Y14.41 An article in ETImail: Online GD&T Newsletter from ETI