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My old boss said to never dimension to hidden lines in a view
I thought it was just his personal quirk, but it bit me hard on a recent project for a machine shop in Dayton. The shop foreman called because a part was off by 0.03 inches, and the error traced back to a dimension I pulled from a line that was obscured in the section view. Has anyone else run into a rule like this, or was my boss just overly strict about one thing?
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the_rowan18d ago
That 0.03 inch error in Dayton is a perfect example. Your old boss was right, it's a solid rule. Hidden lines can shift based on how the model is cut or viewed. I've seen similar issues cause scrap parts. Always dimension to visible, solid geometry.
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phoenix_bailey18d ago
Wait, that error was only three hundredths? Honestly that's terrifying. I've seen way bigger shifts from hidden lines before but that tiny amount is somehow worse. It's small enough to pass a quick check but still completely scrap the part. Tbh that's the kind of mistake that keeps me up at night. Your boss's rule is the only safe way to work.
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