pmarc,
If this is different (which I agree is debatable), then I would say that it should not be different. The gage pins in your example should not be allowed to expand/contract individually, even if they physically can. My opinion is that because the 4 holes were referenced together as a datum feature, then the simulators must all expand/contract together.
If we allow the simulators for a multiple datum feature to expand/contract independently to achieve stability, then we get certain results that (to me) do not make sense. Here is an example:
Scenario 1: Say we have a 200 mm long cylindrical pin whose OD has a size tolerance of 20 +/- 1. The OD is specified as primary datum feature A at RMB. Its simulator is a continuous cylinder that starts at a size of 21 mm and contracts to envelop the as-produced pin on its high points. If the as-produced cylinder is tapered (larger at one end and smaller at the other), then there will be residual datum feature shift and instability. There would be candidate relationships between the datum feature and simulator, because the simulator must maintain perfect form. It rocks because all of the high points of the as-produced pin happen to be at one end.
Scenario 2: We change the design of the pin so that it has a 2 mm long groove (like an o-ring groove) halfway along the length of the pin. The pin's cylindrical surface is now split into two 99 mm long sections, so we must treat it as two features. We control their sizes with 2X 20 +/- 1 and control their coaxiality with a Position of zero at MMC. The pattern of two OD's is specified as primary datum feature A at RMB. The simulator set is two perfectly coaxial cylinders that start at a size of 21 mm and contract together to envelop the as-produced pin on its high points. If we get an as-produced pin with the same tapered condition as before, should one simulator be allowed to keep contracting to achieve stability? I would say no. This would not make sense to me.
Scenario 3: We keep the split pin design with the groove halfway along. Instead of using the 2X multiplier, we specify the 20 +/-1 size tolerance individually for each feature. We use the same coaxiality tolerance of zero at MMC, by using two leader lines. One OD is labeled A and the other labeled B, and the pattern of two OD features is specified as primary datum feature A-B at RMB. I would say that the configuration and behavior of the simulators is identical to Scenario 2. The A and B simulators must expand/contract together, and we would get instability on a tapered as-produced pin.
Scenario 4: We change the design of the pin to make the two sections slightly different nominal sizes. One section is 21 +/- 1 and the other is 19 +/- 1. We specify the same coaxiality tolerance of zero at MMC, using a Position FCF with the annotation 2 COAXIAL HOLES underneath. One OD is labeled A and the other labeled B, and the pattern of two OD features is specified as primary datum feature A-B at RMB. How should the simulators work now? I would say that the simulator set is two perfectly coaxial cylinders, one starting at a size of 22 mm and the other at 20 mm, that contract together to envelop the as-produced pin on its high points. If we get an as-produced pin in which the A section is produced at 21.99 mm and the B section at 18.01 mm, should the B simulator be allowed to keep contracting to achieve stability? I would say no. The simulator set would be tight on the A section and loose on the B section.
This is all based on the idea that when a pattern of features is referenced together as a multiple datum feature, the features are treated as a combined entity. Therefore the simulators act as a combined entity, and do not adjust to the condition of individual features in the pattern.
I realize that this has gotten very wordy. I'll try to make up figures to illustrate these scenarios. In the meantime, what do you think?
Evan Janeshewski
Axymetrix Quality Engineering Inc.