S6E22 Dean Odell | Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T)

May 30, 2025

Dean Odell, a mechanical engineering educator and YouTube instructor, shares his inspiring journey from welder to academic. He dives into Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T), addressing common misconceptions and its pivotal role in manufacturing. Odell discusses the evolution of GD&T, insights from his YouTube channel, and the significance of understanding design intent. He also emphasizes hands-on training techniques and the importance of practical experience, making complex engineering concepts accessible and engaging.

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ANECDOTE

Dean Odell's Career Path

Dean Odell journeyed from welder to mechanical engineering instructor, using his GI Bill at a community college.
His practical experience shaped his teaching focus on GD&T and machining technology for aspiring CNC machinists.

ADVICE

Value of GD&T Training

Good machine shops, especially in defense or aerospace, understand GD&T well; it's worth the effort to train and use it.
GD&T helps communicate design intent, even if shops don’t master every symbol; focus on producing correct parts.

INSIGHT

GD&T Origins and Purpose

GD&T evolved from long, unclear notes to standardized symbols to simplify communication on engineering drawings.
This symbolic language replaced verbose textual notes, helping reduce mistakes and save drawing space historically.

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Aaron Moncur sits down with Dean Odell, a distinguished mechanical engineering instructor and YouTube educator, to explore the fascinating world of Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T). Dean shares his journey from a welder to an engineering instructor, discusses the importance of GD&T in manufacturing, and reveals insights from his popular YouTube channel, dedicated to technical education.

Main Topics:

Origins and evolution of GD&T
Common misconceptions about geometric tolerancing
Practical applications in engineering and manufacturing
Dean's approach to teaching technical concepts
The importance of understanding design intent
Inspection techniques and measurement tools

About the guest: R. Dean Odell is a distinguished mechanical engineering educator and consultant, specializing in Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) and Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) technologies. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering Technology from SUNY Polytechnic Institute and an A.A.S. from Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC), where he currently teaches courses in GD&T, CAD, CMM, metallurgy, and robotics as an assistant professor.

Dean is also a prominent online educator with over 32,000 YouTube subscribers, offering tutorials on GD&T, CMM operation, print reading, and metallurgy. Beyond academia, he conducts in-person training across the United States, particularly in GD&T and Zeiss CMM, known for his clear and hands-on teaching style. His work reflects a strong dedication to advancing precision manufacturing and engineering education.

Links:

Dean Odell - LinkedIn

Website

YouTube

Download the Essential Guide to Designing Test Fixtures: https://pipelinemedialab.beehiiv.com/test-fixture

About Being An Engineer

The Being An Engineer podcast is a repository for industry knowledge and a tool through which engineers learn about and connect with relevant companies, technologies, people resources, and opportunities. We feature successful mechanical engineers and interview engineers who are passionate about their work and who made a great impact on the engineering community.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us