Fits and tolerances: what term denotes the range of tightness or looseness that results from specified allowances and tolerances when two mating parts are assembled (for example, a shaft and a hole)?

Introduction / Context:
Mating parts require controlled relationships to ensure function—rotation, sliding, or interference installation. Standards define how much clearance or interference is acceptable.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Two parts: typically a shaft and a hole.
• Drawing specifies limits and allowable variation.
• We need the term that encapsulates the resulting assembly condition.

Concept / Approach:
“Fit” describes the assembly condition (clearance, transition, or interference) produced by manufacturing variation within stated limits. Allowance is the intentional minimum clearance or maximum interference; limits are the permitted size extremes of each feature.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Check ISO or ANSI fits tables (e.g., H7/g6) that classify fits by functional behavior—those are fit designations, not just limits.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Limits: size boundaries for individual parts, not the assembly relationship.
• Specifications: broad term; lacks specificity to assembly condition.
• Allowance: the minimum intended clearance or maximum intended interference, not the overall range.

Common Pitfalls:
Interchanging “allowance” and “fit.” Allowance is a single-value design intent; fit is a category/range outcome.

Final Answer:
Fit