Editing Engineering tolerance (section)

{{Short description|Permissible limit or limits of variation}}
{{Distinguish|Factor of safety}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2017}}
[[File:DINISO2768-2example.jpg|thumb|Example for the DIN ISO 2768-2 tolerance table. This is just one example for linear tolerances for a 100 mm value. This is just one of the 8 defined ranges (30–120{{nbsp}}mm).]]
'''Engineering tolerance'''  is the permissible limit or limits of variation in:

# a physical [[dimension]];
# a measured value or [[physical property]] of a material, [[manufacturing|manufactured]] object, system, or service;
# other measured values (such as temperature, humidity, etc.);
# in [[engineering]] and [[safety]], a physical [[distance]] or space (tolerance), as in a [[truck]] (lorry), [[train]] or [[boat]] under a [[bridge]] as well as a train in a [[tunnel]] (see [[structure gauge]] and [[loading gauge]]);
# in [[mechanical engineering]], the [[Engineering tolerance#Mechanical component tolerance|space]] between a [[screw|bolt]] and a [[nut (hardware)|nut]] or a hole, etc.

Dimensions, properties, or conditions may have some variation without significantly affecting functioning of systems, machines, structures, etc. A variation beyond the tolerance (for example, a temperature that is too hot or too cold) is said to be noncompliant, rejected, or exceeding the tolerance.