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All 14 symbols — flatness, straightness, circularity, cylindricity, profile, position, concentricity, symmetry, runout, and more. Definitions, modifier compatibility, and real drawing examples.

Datum features vs datums vs datum reference frames. Primary/secondary/tertiary selection. Datum feature simulators. How degrees of freedom get constrained.

MMC, LMC, and RFS. When bonus tolerance applies, when datum feature shift applies, and how to calculate both. Virtual condition and resultant condition for every case.

True position calculation from X-Y coordinates. Bonus tolerance at MMC. Fixed and floating fastener formulas. Composite vs single-segment position FCFs. Projected tolerance zones.

Profile of a line and profile of a surface. Unilateral, bilateral, and unequally disposed zones. Profile as a catch-all for complex geometry. Composite profile.

Circular runout vs total runout vs concentricity vs symmetry. When each applies, how they're measured, and why concentricity is almost never the right call.

Why size controls form for features of size. Perfect-form boundary at MMC. When Rule #1 applies and when it doesn't. The independency symbol.

Study guide for the ASME Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing Professional (GDTP) certification — Senior and Technologist levels. Topic checklist, practice problems, and key traps.

Part modeling, assemblies, and drawing fundamentals. Mass properties, mate references, and the skills tested on the Certified SolidWorks Associate exam.

All three segments: advanced part modeling, configurations, and assembly design. Exam strategy, time management, and the types of problems that trip people up.

Expert-level topics: surfacing, weldments, multi-body, sheet metal, mold tools, and advanced assemblies. What the exam actually tests vs what people study.

FEA fundamentals for the SolidWorks Simulation Professional exam. Mesh convergence, fixture selection, contact types, thermal analysis, and result interpretation.

Gauges, K-factor, bend allowance, flat patterns, forming tools, lofted bends, and multi-body sheet metal. What the CSWPA-SM exam covers.

Thread standards (UNC/UNF/metric), bolt grades, preload theory, torque-tension, locking methods, joint design, and when to use what. Common screw head drive types and their trade-offs.

Steel, aluminum, stainless, titanium, copper alloys, and engineering plastics. Properties, selection criteria, common specs (ASTM/AMS/ISO), and when each material makes sense.

Worst-case and RSS stackup methods. 1D chain analysis, sensitivity factors, and statistical tolerancing basics. When to use each method and how to set up the chain.

Design for manufacturability fundamentals. Process-specific rules for CNC, sheet metal, injection molding, casting, and 3D printing. Cost drivers and common mistakes.

ANSI/ISO fit systems — clearance, transition, and interference. Shaft-basis vs hole-basis. Standard fit designations, when to use press fits, and how temperature affects fit.

Stress, strain, Mohr's circle, beam bending, torsion, buckling, and fatigue. The core mechanics you need for structural sizing and FEA sanity checks.