"I think the 5X72 is open to more than one interpretation when tolerances are taken into consideration, Kim & btrue disagree."
How can there be more than one interpretation? You can measure the 5 independent angles, and determine if they are +/- 1 degree from the indicated value. Yes, the part is perhaps "over-constrained" (to borrow terminology from 3Dcad software), but it is not over-dimensioned, nor un-buildable with the tolerancing scheme shown in vc66's left-hand sketch (ignoring the ambiguous 0-degree or 360-degree measurement). If the values for each dimension can be independently measured it is not over-dimensioned. Whether it is against "para 1.4(c) No more dimensions than those necessary for complete definition shall be given." is open to intrepretation - if the designer wants the constraint given by the dimensioning scheme shown, he dimensions it as shown, or alternatively uses GD&T to constrain the tolerances to a more rational system.
By the same token, I do not think that vc66's right hand sketch is truly over-dimensioned for all cases, since again, each dimension can be independently measured (the fact that one of the dimensions may not vary independently without possibly affecting other dimensions is immaterial, we don't specify how it's made, just how it is to be inspected, right); it may or may not be over-dimensioned, depending upon how the designer wanted the tolerances to accumulate (or not accumulate), thus the vagueness of "para 1.4(c) "No more dimensions than those necessary for complete definition shall be given." It IS over-constrained, again to borrow terminology used in the 3D-Cad world, and I would agree that both sketches, IF he had placed basic tolerances boxes around the dimensions, would/could be construed as over-dimensioned, but then the spec. requires you to put the 5X in the circular pattern for GD&T (or does it?).
But there are times when that right-hand sketch may be required by a designer (who is essentially saying, I need 5 steps within some tolerance, and the whole part has to fit within this gap). Yes, it requires a machinist to do some thinking, and is more complicated to make than a stepped shaft, but if the part requires those tolerances, it's his job to stop whining and figure out how to build it.
...and, all kidding in front (the opposite of all kidding aside), Kenat and ewh and et. al. on this forum should know that my comments re that rebel George are done with tongue firmly, rigidly in cheek ... plus or minus 1/2 cheek.
