Estimate thermal expansion

If the part temperature deviates from the reference temperature per ISO 1 (20 °C), your part expands. Pick the material or enter the expansion coefficient manually — the calculator estimates how much the nominal dimension changes for solid material.

Material

Expansion coefficient α (10⁻⁶/K)

Guide values at 20 °C. The actual coefficient depends on alloy, fibre direction and temperature range — the datasheet of your material governs.

Nominal dimension (mm)

Part temperature (°C)

Upper deviation (mm)

Lower deviation (mm)

Calculation: ΔL = L₀ · α · (t − 20 °C). An estimate for solid material at homogeneous part temperature — relative to the reference temperature per ISO 1.

Result

Length at part temperature (mm)

Thermal expansion ΔL (µm)

Temperature difference (K)

Tolerance consumed

Sketch · overall length

Expansion shown exaggerated — not to scale

Nominal per drawing (20 °C)

Dimension at part temperature — {{ skizzeText }}

This is why CSL measures at reference temperature: parts are acclimatised in the temperature-controlled measuring room before measurement — a substantial part of the turnaround of a dimensional inspection. Our determined measuring-room temperature is 20.3 °C. Your measured values are thus comparable with the drawing.

Tolerance budget

Production target mid-tolerance · shift not to scale

Nominal

below 30 % from 30 % above 50 %

Enter the deviations (upper above lower) to see how much of the tolerance the temperature consumes.