Industry knowledge:
A screw thread is a helical groove formed on an internal or external diametrical surface and is described by various terms. These terms are described here:
Thread Axis: An imaginary line running through the centre of the thread screw.
Major Diameter, dM: The diameter of an imaginary cylinder (concentric to the thread axis) that envelopes and touches the crest of the external threads or the root of internal threads.
Minor Diameter, dm: Also called the root diameter, this is the diameter of an imaginary cylinder (concentric to the thread axis) who’s surface touches the thread roots.
Pitch Diameter, dP: The diameter of the imaginary cylinder (concentric to the thread axis) that intersects the surface at the point where the thread thickness equals the space between the threads or the diameter at which the tooth thickness = pitch/2. Refer to the graphic further down this page. On a sharp V thread form as per the image below, the pitch diameter would be located equidistant between the sharp major and minor diameters. However, few threads are actually formed like.