TS 1503

TS 1503 is a technical drawing standard in the family of form and position tolerances, focused on how profiles in a plane are dimensioned and toleranced. From its title and scope, the key issue is not only stating the nominal shape, but defining how the actual contour is represented on the drawing and how the permissible deviation is specified.

What profile tolerancing means

In technical drafting, profile tolerance defines how far a part’s outline or surface contour may deviate from the ideal geometry. This is especially useful for curved, irregular, or free-form features that are difficult to control with individual linear dimensions alone. In general engineering practice, profile tolerancing provides a compact way to describe shape, continuity, and the geometric relationship to reference features together.

This standard covers two methods for dimensioning and tolerancing profiles. In practical drawing work, such methods help distinguish how a contour is located and how the allowed variation is indicated on the drawing. That makes the design intent clearer for manufacturing and inspection.

Why it matters in engineering drawings

• It helps define contour-based features in a clearer and less ambiguous way.
• It provides a common notation where individual dimensions alone are not enough to describe the geometry.
• It supports a shared understanding of the same geometric intent across design, production, and inspection.

This document was published as an equivalent of ISO/R 1660:1971 and later withdrawn. Even so, it remains a useful reference for understanding the classic logic of technical drawing terminology and how profile tolerances are expressed on engineering drawings.