Design and Drafting

ASME GDTP Technologist: Y14.5-2018 Practice Test and Exam Guide

Six ASME GDTP Technologist practice tests with 900 original questions focused on interpreting geometric dimensioning and tolerancing callouts.

Published 6 September 2026 · Last updated 9 September 2026

What does the ASME GDTP Technologist: Y14.5-2018 assessment cover?

The preparation material covers the documented assessment facts listed below. The question bank reinforces those facts without presenting a practice product as an official exam or reproducing assessment content.

• The exam has 150 questions and a 4-hour closed-book limit.
• Passing requires 74% overall and at least 50% in every section.
• Y14.5-2018 was reaffirmed in 2024 as Y14.5-2018 (R2024), not replaced by a new edition.
• The Technologist exam focuses on reading and interpreting drawings.
• Concentricity and symmetry were removed as tolerance types in Y14.5-2018.

Which domains should you study?

Use these supplied brief-backed domains as the study map. They are coverage areas, not invented percentage predictions.

Domain	Preparation focus
Definitions, Rules, Tolerancing and Symbology	Review explanations after related questions and record the specific gap.
Datums and Datum Reference Frames	Review explanations after related questions and record the specific gap.
Tolerances of Form	Review explanations after related questions and record the specific gap.
Tolerances of Orientation	Review explanations after related questions and record the specific gap.
Tolerances of Location	Review explanations after related questions and record the specific gap.
Tolerances of Profile	Review explanations after related questions and record the specific gap.
Tolerances of Runout	Review explanations after related questions and record the specific gap.

How should you use these practice tests?

Start with the Test 1 sample, then use domain labels and explanations to choose what to review. Retake missed questions after studying the underlying objective, and reserve the final test for timed practice where the brief provides assessment timing.

1. Take the sample without looking up answers.
2. Group misses by domain, not just by score.
3. Review each explanation and the governing study material.
4. Repeat under documented assessment conditions when available.

What is a practical ASME GDTP Technologist: Y14.5-2018 study plan?

1. Phase 1: learn to read the feature control frame fluently, including material condition modifiers, projected zones, unequally disposed profile and continuous feature notation.
2. Phase 2: work through datums and datum reference frames until degrees of freedom are automatic, since this section carries 20% and underpins most location questions.
3. Phase 3: drill boundary and bonus tolerance calculations, which stay within Technologist scope because they are interpretation of a given callout rather than selection of a control.
4. Phase 4: practise to ASME’s published section weights, but never neglect the small sections. The 50% per-section rule means a weak area in Form or Runout can fail you even with a strong overall mark.

ASME GDTP Technologist: Y14.5-2018 FAQ

How long is the ASME GDTP Technologist exam?

It is 150 questions in a 4-hour limit, taken closed book.

What score do you need to pass?

You need 74% overall and at least 50% in every individual section. This is a raw percentage rather than a scaled score, and both conditions must be met to pass.

Is the 78% pass mark correct?

No. The 78% figure that circulates widely, including in ASME’s own legacy Applicant Information Handbook, belongs to the older Y14.5-2009 exam. The Y14.5-2018 Technologist exam is passed at 74% overall.

Can I bring the standard into the exam?

No. The exam is closed book, and Y14.5 is neither provided nor admissible. Everything must come from working knowledge.

Does ASME publish section weights?

Yes, which is unusual among certification bodies. Definitions, Rules, Tolerancing and Symbology carry 25%, Datums 20%, Form 5%, Orientation 5%, Location 25%, Profile 15% and Runout 5%.

Is Y14.5-2018 still the current edition?

Yes. It was reaffirmed in 2024 as Y14.5-2018 (R2024), which is a reaffirmation rather than a replacement. The 2009 exam is still offered, and the 1994 exam on request.

What is the difference between Technologist and Senior?

Technologist tests reading and interpreting drawings, while Senior tests selecting and applying controls. Senior eligibility is 36 months, not the five years stated in the legacy handbook.

Are concentricity and symmetry still examinable?

They were removed as tolerance types in Y14.5-2018. They now appear only as incorrect options or in questions asking what replaced them, so material carried over from a 2009 syllabus still teaching them as live controls is out of date.