Engineering & PLMFree worksheetPDF, Excel, Word exportDiscrete Manufacturing

Hole and Shaft Fit Clearance Worksheet

Every fit callout reduces to four limit sizes. This worksheet turns them into minimum and maximum clearance so you can see at a glance whether a joint is a clearance, transition or interference fit, and how much it varies.

Download:

Min clearance (negative = interference) (mm)	Max clearance (negative = interference) (mm)	Fit variation (mm)
0.007	0.041	0.034
0.02	0.074	0.054
-0.029	0	0.029
-0.018	0.023	0.041

Smallest minimum clearance

-0.029

Largest maximum clearance

0.074

Enter limit sizes from your drawing or from the ISO 286 / ASME B4.1 tables. Positive clearance means a gap, negative means interference. A row with min negative and max positive is a transition fit.

Connect tolerance data to your ERP

Optional review of how fit and characteristic data could sit with item and routing records.

Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.

How to use the worksheet

Add one row per joint. Enter the smallest and largest hole size and the smallest and largest shaft size in millimetres. The sheet calculates minimum clearance as hole minimum minus shaft maximum, and maximum clearance as hole maximum minus shaft minimum. Edit the examples, add rows for your assemblies and export to Excel for the design record.

Reading the result

If both clearances are positive the fit always leaves a gap. If both are negative the parts always interfere, so assembly needs force, heat or cooling. If one is negative and one positive, some assemblies will interfere and some will not. The fit variation equals the hole tolerance plus the shaft tolerance, so tightening either one narrows the spread.

Both positive: clearance fit
Min negative, max positive: transition fit
Both negative: interference fit
Variation = hole tolerance + shaft tolerance

Common mistakes

Mixing up which size pairs with which is the classic error: minimum clearance uses the smallest hole against the largest shaft. Another is ignoring coatings or plating thickness, which shifts the shaft size after finish. Use the post-finish limits for the final fit check, and check the temperature if the parts are different materials.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does negative clearance mean?

Negative clearance is interference: the shaft is larger than the hole. The amount shows how much material must deform or how much force or thermal change is needed to assemble the parts.

Where do I get the limit sizes for H7/g6?

From the ISO 286 tables or ASME B4.1 for inch fits, based on the nominal size. Enter the resulting hole and shaft limits here. The examples use ISO 286 values for the stated sizes.

Does this account for surface finish or form error?

No. It uses size limits only. Surface roughness, out-of-roundness and taper reduce the effective clearance or change the interference, so leave margin for them on precision fits.

Can I use inches?

Yes. The maths is unit independent. Enter all values in inches and ignore the mm label, or convert first.

If fit and tolerance data lives in spreadsheets outside the ERP, we can talk about connecting characteristics to item and routing records.

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