What the code means
Lower-case h is an external feature. Upper deviation is zero — the shaft never goes over nominal. Grade 7 is a ground or finely turned pin.
Formula
h7 at Ø20 mm
es / ei 0 / -21 µm
IT7 = 21 µm
Limits 19.979 / 20.000 mm
Ø20 h7
How we use this in the toolroom
Guide pillars, ground pins and turned location diameters come in as h6 or h7. If someone asks for “h7 hole” they almost always mean H7 — confirm the drawing letter case before you machine.
The numbers come from ISO 286 tables, the same charts Accurate Industries uses in Pune for dies, moulds and precision tooling. AlwaysReach is the browser version of that lookup — see our story.
Other shaft classes
Common hole/shaft pairings
Full type-ahead for every ISO class is on the ISO tolerance calculator. Convert the millimetre result with the unit converter.