MOLDED RUBBER TOLERANCE:
Rubber tolerances are described in Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) Handbook.Rubber Manufacturers Association A1 Tolerance (High Precision)Rubber Manufacturers Association A2 Tolerance (Precision)Rubber Manufacturers Association A3 Tolerance (Commercial)Rubber Manufacturers Association A4 Tolerance (Non Critical)The A2 ‘precision’ tolerances provide higher precision over A3 general purpose tolerance. The A1 ‘high precision’ tolerances can be achieved by individually inspecting and selecting ‘high precision’ tolerances meeting o-rings. A higher precision comes with a higher cost so overall cost benefit analysis should be done to choose the right tolerances.Most O-Rings are high quality ‘precision’ parts which conforms to A2 ‘precision’ tolerance of the RMA Handbook. Most other rubber products use A3 ‘general purpose’ tolerances with good results. The rubber can stretch and bend without sacrificing performance so much more forgiving tolerances are used. Extruded rubber (cords) has its own tolerances. Rigid metal tolerances and application methods should not be used in measuring O-Rings. An O-Ring will have two tolerances; ‘Fixed’ and ‘Closure’. Fixed tolerances specify side tolerances. Closure tolerances specify up and down tolerance in respect to the mold orientation. The drawing illustrates these tolerances.

A1 (mm) | A1 (inch) | ||||||
Sizeømm÷ | Tolerance | Sizeøinch÷ | Tolerance | ||||
Above | Incl | Fixed | closure | Above | Incl | Fixed | closure |
– | 10 | ±0.10 | ±0.13 | – | 0.400 | ±0.004 | ±0.005 |
10 | 16 | ±0.13 | ±0.16 | 0.400 | 0.630 | ±0.005 | ±0.006 |
16 | 25 | ±0.16 | ±0.20 | 0.630 | 1.000 | ±0.006 | ±0.008 |
25 | 40 | ±0.20 | ±0.25 | 1.000 | 1.600 | ±0.008 | ±0.010 |
40 | 63 | ±0.25 | ±0.32 | 1.600 | 2.500 | ±0.010 | ±0.013 |
63 | 100 | ±0.32 | ±0.40 | 2.500 | 4.000 | ±0.013 | ±0.016 |
100 | >160 | ±0.40 | ±0.50 | 4.000 | 6.300 | ±0.016 | ±0.020 |
A2 (mm) | A2 (inch) | ||||||
Sizeømm÷ | Tolerance | Sizeøinch÷ | Tolerance | ||||
Above | Incl | Fixed | closure | Above | Incl | Fixed | closure |
– | 10 | ±0.16 | ±0.20 | – | 0.100 | ±0.006 | ±0.008 |
10 | 16 | ±0.20 | ±0.25 | 0.100 | 0.630 | ±0.008 | ±0.010 |
16 | 25 | ±0.25 | ±0.32 | 0.630 | 1.000 | ±0.010 | ±0.013 |
25 | 40 | ±0.32 | ±0.40 | 1.000 | 1.600 | ±0.013 | ±0.016 |
40 | 63 | ±0.40 | ±0.50 | 1.600 | 2.500 | ±0.016 | ±0.020 |
63 | 100 | ±0.50 | ±0.63 | 2.500 | 4.000 | ±0.020 | ±0.025 |
100 | 160 | ±0.63 | ±0.80 | 4.000 | 6.300 | ±0.025 | ±0.032 |
160 | >160 | trim size×0.004 | trim size×0.005 | 6.300 | >6.300 | trim size×0.004 | trim size×0.005 |
A3 (mm) | A3 (inch) | ||||||
Sizeømm÷ | Tolerance | Sizeøinch÷ | Tolerance | ||||
Above | Incl | Fixed | closure | Above | Incl | Fixed | closure |
– | 10 | ±0.20 | ±0.32 | – | 0.400 | ±0.008 | ±0.013 |
10 | 16 | ±0.25 | ±0.40 | 0.400 | 0.630 | ±0.010 | ±0.016 |
16 | 25 | ±0.32 | ±0.50 | 0.630 | 1.000 | ±0.013 | ±0.020 |
25 | 40 | ±0.40 | ±0.63 | 1.000 | 1.600 | ±0.016 | ±0.025 |
40 | 63 | ±0.50 | ±0.80 | 1.600 | 2.500 | ±0.020 | ±0.032 |
63 | 100 | ±0.63 | ±1.00 | 2.500 | 4.000 | ±0.025 | ±0.040 |
100 | 160 | ±0.80 | ±1.25 | 4.000 | 6.300 | ±0.032 | ±0.050 |
160 | >160 | trim size×0.005 | trim size×0.008 | 6.300 | >6.300 | trim size×0.005 | trim size×0.008 |
A4 (mm) | A4 (inch) | ||||||
Sizeømm÷ | Tolerance | Sizeøinch÷ | Tolerance | ||||
Above | Incl | Fixed | closure | Above | Incl | Fixed | closure |
– | 10 | ±0.32 | ±0.82 | – | 0.400 | ±0.013 | ±0.032 |
10 | 16 | ±0.40 | ±0.90 | 0.400 | 0.630 | ±0.016 | ±0.036 |
16 | 25 | ±0.50 | ±1.00 | 0.630 | 1.000 | ±0.020 | ±0.040 |
25 | 40 | ±0.63 | ±1.12 | 1.000 | 1.600 | ±0.025 | ±0.045 |
40 | 63 | ±0.80 | ±1.25 | 1.600 | 2.500 | ±0.032 | ±0.050 |
63 | 100 | ±1.00 | ±1.40 | 2.500 | 4.000 | ±0.040 | ±0.056 |
100 | 160 | ±1.25 | ±1.60 | 4.000 | 6.300 | ±0.050 | ±0.063 |
160 | >160 | trim size×0.008 | trim size×0.010 | 6.300 | >6.300 | trim size×0.008 | trim size×0.010 |
Class | 1 High Precision |
2 Precision |
3 Commercial |
|
Drawing Designation | E1 | E2 | E3 | |
Dimensions (in Millimeters) | ||||
Above | Up to | |||
0 | 1.5 | ±0.15 | ±0.25 | ±0.40 |
1.5 | 2.5 | 0.20 | 0.35 | 0.50 |
2.5 | 4.0 | 0.25 | 0.40 | 0.70 |
4.0 | 6.3 | 0.35 | 0.50 | 0.80 |
6.3 | 10.0 | 0.40 | 0.70 | 1.00 |
10.0 | 16.0 | 0.50 | 0.80 | 1.30 |
16.0 | 25.0 | 0.70 | 1.00 | 1.60 |
25.0 | 40.0 | 0.80 | 1.30 | 2.00 |
40.0 | 63.0 | 1.00 | 1.60 | 2.50 |
63.0 | 100.0 | 1.30 | 2.00 | 3.20 |
RMA Class | 1 High Precision |
2 Precision |
3 Commercial |
Drawing Designation | E1 | E2 | E3 |
Dimensions (in Inches) |
0.00 | 0.06 | ±0.006 | ±0.010 | ±0.015 |
0.06 | 0.10 | 0.008 | 0.014 | 0.020 |
0.10 | 0.16 | 0.010 | 0.016 | 0.027 |
0.16 | 0.25 | 0.014 | 0.020 | 0.031 |
0.25 | 0.39 | 0.016 | 0.027 | 0.039 |
0.39 | 0.63 | 0.020 | 0.031 | 0.051 |
0.63 | 0.98 | 0.027 | 0.039 | 0.063 |
0.98 | 1.57 | 0.031 | 0.051 | 0.079 |
1.57 | 2.48 | 0.039 | 0.063 | 0.098 |
2.48 | 3.94 | 0.051 | 0.079 | 0.126 |