What is compound position tolerance?

• A. A combination of positional tolerances used in more than one stage or to control multiple features.
• B. A single distance tolerance applied to one feature.
• C. A tolerance that applies only to angular orientation.
• D. A tolerance that sets datum references for all features.

Answer: (A)

Compound position tolerance means combining two or more position tolerances into a single callout to control multiple features or to apply tolerances across more than one stage. This approach is useful when several features must stay within specified positional limits relative to the datum reference frame, and you want to enforce all those limits together rather than with separate controls. For example, if two holes must be located within their own positional zones relative to two datums, a compound position tolerance ties both holes to the same tolerance envelope, ensuring their locations stay coordinated and within the set limits. This differs from a simple distance tolerance on one feature, which only constrains that one feature’s location. It also doesn’t set datum references by itself, since datums are defined separately in the tolerance frame and then used to constrain the features.