I knew that there would be differing opinions ;^)
I've never been comfortable with the idea of changing the shape description of the tolerance zone based on constraints to the DRF (or lack thereof). The geometric characteristic, the geometry of the considered feature, and the tolerance zone shape modifier (if any) determine the shape of the tolerance zone. If open degrees of freedom allow this zone to translate or rotate relative to the DRF, to me this shouldn't change how the tolerance zone is described. Allowing the zone to shift is different than changing the zone's shape. Describing the zone in terms of the total volume that could be swept out is misleading, and can lead to incorrect conclusions.
Let's say that we have a Position tolerance for a single cylindrical hole, in a rectangular block shaped part. The hole is nominally perpendicular to the primary datum feature, and nominally parallel to the secondary datum feature. So the DRF has one translational degree of freedom left open. Should the tolerance zone shape be described as two parallel planes? I say no. It's a cylindrical zone that can translate, which is not the same thing. It's true that translating the cylindrical zone would sweep out a volume between two parallel planes, and that part of the hole's axis could exist anywhere in this parallel-plane zone. The axis cannot be arbitrarily tilted in the direction parallel to translation, but the parallel-plane zone description makes the impression that it can.
I realize that for the case of the sphere and the single planar datum feature, describing the zone as two parallel planes wouldn't introduce any additional tolerance. The controlled component of a single spherical feature (the center point) can't be oriented, so that problem doesn't arise. But I would say that we should still describe the tolerance zone as a spherical zone that can translate, and not describe it as the volume between two parallel planes (the total volume that the spherical zone could sweep out as it translates).
If we were to describe the tolerance zone in terms of the total volume that the spherical zone could sweep out, then the description would change if more datum features were added. If a perpendicular planar secondary datum feature was added, the tolerance zone would sweep out a "cylindrical" volume. If a perpendicular cylindrical secondary datum feature was added, the sphere would sweep out a toroidal volume. This just doesn't sit well.
So I disagree with Jim on this one (this doesn't happen too often). I think that the tolerance zone shape modifier is very relevant in this case - spherical diameter all the way. I'm also not concerned about debating it ;^).
Evan Janeshewski
Axymetrix Quality Engineering Inc.