Meadows teaches a mathematically reliable approach often called "loop analysis" or "circuit diagrams":
The Meadows stack-up process can be summarized in eight steps: tolerance stack-up analysis by james d. meadows
In the world of mechanical design and manufacturing, the difference between a product that works perfectly and one that fails catastrophically often comes down to a fraction of a millimeter. When parts are machined, molded, or cast, they are never made exactly to their nominal dimensions. This inherent variability is managed through tolerances. But the real challenge is not controlling a single dimension—it is understanding what happens when you assemble multiple dimensioned parts together. tolerance stack-up analysis by james d. meadows