An implicit enumeration approach to probabilistic tolerance allocation under conventional tolerance control

The accuracy and precision of a manufactured dimension is largely dependent on the accuracy and precision of the technological processes selected for its execution. It is not unusual to have available several competing technological processes for execution of each manufacturing operation specified in a process plan, where it is generally assumed that, as the precision of the technological process improves, the associated cost and yield of the operation increase. This paper presents an implicit enumeration approach to the selection of an optimum subset of technological processes required to execute a process plan under a conventional tolerance control strategy. A probabilistic approach to the problem is presented and the First Order Second Moment Method (FOSMM) is used to estimate yield for an interdependent system of functional requirements.