Mechanics of Machines-II: Course Instructor:Engr Ambreen Tajammal

Mechanics of Machines-II
Course Instructor:Engr Ambreen Tajammal

Introduction Cam
and Follower
A cam may be defined as a machine element
having a curved outline or a curved groove, which,
by its oscillation or rotation motion, gives a
predetermined specified motion to another
element called the follower . The cam has a very
important function in the operation of many
classes of machines, especially those of the
automatic type, such as printing presses, shoe
machinery, textile machinery, gear-cutting
machines, and screw machines. In any class of
machinery in which automatic control and
accurate timing are paramount, the cam is an
indispensable part of mechanism. The possible
applications of cams are unlimited, and their
shapes occur in great variety
Cam and Follower
• The cam and follower is a device which
can convert rotary motion (circular
motion) into linear motion (movement in a
straight line).
Follower
Cams
Cam
Followers
(valves)
Cams
 Cams are used to convert rotary
motion to oscillatory motion (almost
always) or oscillatory motion to rotary
motion (rarely)
 For high speed applications – example,
internal combustion engines
4
Cam and Follower
follower
 The cam can have

various shapes. These
are know as cam Cam
profiles.
Pear Heart Circular Drop

Cam types
 
Wedge cam
Plate cam
 
y Face cam
6
Barrel cam
Cam Nomenclature:
 Trace point: A theoretical point on the follower,
corresponding to the point of a fictitious knife-edge
follower. It is used to generate the pitch curve. In the case
of a roller follower, the trace point is at the center of the
roller.
 Pitch curve: The path generated by the trace point at the
follower is rotated about a stationary cam.
 Working curve: The working surface of a cam in contact
with the follower. For the knife-edge follower of the plate
cam, the pitch curve and the working curves coincide. In
a close or grooved cam there is an inner profile and
an outer working curve.
 Pitch circle: A circle from the cam center through the pitch
point. The pitch circle radius is used to calculate a cam of
minimum size for a given pressure angle.
 Prime circle (reference circle): The smallest circle
from the cam center through the pitch curve.
 Base circle: The smallest circle from the cam center
through the cam profile curve.
 Stroke or throw:The greatest distance or angle through
which the follower moves or rotates.
 Follower displacement: The position of the follower
from a specific zero or rest position (usually its the
position when the f ollower contacts with the base
circle of the cam) in relation to time or the rotary angle
of the cam.
 Pressure angle: The angle at any point between the
normal to the pitch curve and the instantaneous
direction of the follower motion. This angle is important
in cam design because it represents the steepness of the
cam profile.
Cam and Follower Follower
 A follower is a component
which is designed to move
up and down as it follows cam
the edge of the cam.
Knife edge Flat foot Off set Roller

Follower follower follower follower
Cam and Follower
 The 'bumps' on a cam are called lobes.
Follower
 The square cam illustrated has four lobes,
and lifts the follower four times each
revolution.
Square cam
Examples of other rotary cam profiles.

Cam and Follower
Examples of a Rotary cams in operation.
Cams used in a pump.

Control the movement of
the engine valves.
Cam and Follower
 The linear cam moves backwards and forwards in a reciprocating
motion.
Cam Follower
Linear cam
Distance
moved by
the follower
Cam and Follower
• Cams can also be cylindrical in shape
• Below a cylindrical cam and roller follower.
Cam rise and Fall

• The cam follower does not have to
move up and down - it can be an Max Lift
oscillating lever as shown above.
Min Lift
Motion Events:
 When the cam turns through one motion cycle, the
follower executes a series of events consisting of rises,
dwells and returns. Rise is the motion of the follower
away from the cam center, dwell is the motion during
which the follower is at rest; and return is the motion of
the follower toward the cam center.
Constant Velocity Motion:
 If the motion of the follower were a straight line, it would
have equal displacements in equal units of time,i.e., uniform
velocity from the beginning to the end of the stroke, as shown
in b. The acceleration, except at the end of the stroke would be
zero, as shown in c. The diagrams show abrupt changes of
velocity, which result in large forces at the beginning and the
end of the stroke. These forces are undesirable, especially
when the cam rotates at high velocity. The constant velocity
motion is therefore only of theoretical interest.
Constant Acceleration Motion:
 Constant acceleration motion is shown in d,e,f As
indicated in e, the velocity increases at a uniform rate
during the first half of the motion and decreases at a
uniform rate during the second half of the motion.
The acceleration is constant and positive throughout
the first half of the motion, as shown in f, and is
constant and negative throughout the second half.
This type of motion gives the follower the smallest
value of maximum acceleration along the path of
motion. In high-speed machinery this is particularly
important because of the forces that are required to
produce the accelerations.
 Where
 When
Harmonic Motion:
 A cam mechanism with the basic curve like g in will impart

simple harmonic motion to the follower. The velocity
diagram at h indicates smooth action. The acceleration, as
shown at i, is maximum at the initial position, zero at the
mid-position, and negative maximum at the final position.
Notation:

Mechanics of Machines-II: Course Instructor:Engr Ambreen Tajammal

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Mechanics of Machines-II: Course Instructor:Engr Ambreen Tajammal

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Mechanics of Machines-II: Course Instructor:Engr Ambreen Tajammal

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Mechanics of Machines-II

Course Instructor:Engr Ambreen Tajammal

 The cam can have

Pear Heart Circular Drop

Knife edge Flat foot Off set Roller

Examples of other rotary cam profiles.

Cams used in a pump.

Cam rise and Fall

 A cam mechanism with the basic curve like g in will impart

You might also like

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.