Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research 18 (12): 1837-1841, 2013

ISSN 1990-9233
IDOSI Publications, 2013
DOI: 10.5829/idosi.mejsr.2013.18.12.11376

Design and Fabrication of Cam and Follower System

P. Gurusamy and R. Sabarish
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Bharath University, Chennai, 600 073, india
Abstract: The project deals with design and fabrication of cam and follower system. The experiment includes
the determination of the addendum length of the cam and dedendum length of the cam, which is measured by
including the needle on it. The fabrication requires material purchasing, machining assembling apart from the
experimental arrangement arrangements. The arrangement includes various parts that are shaft, frame and
bearing, follower, sp4ring, needle, motor and cam. The fabrication and experiments are carried out successfully
and the inferences are found to be useful and coinciding with standard trends. An account is made on the
estimation of cost involved in the project.
Key words: Cam

Follower

Lift

Cam angle

INTRODUCTION
Cam mechanism is preferred over a wide variety of
machines because the cam is possible to obtain an
unlimited variety of motions. 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. The 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 [1]. In other word, cam
mechanism transforms a rotational or oscillating motion to
a translating or linear motion. In fact, cam can be used to
obtain unusual or irregular motion that would be difficult
to obtain from other linkage. The variety of different types
of cam and follower systems that one can choose from is
quite broad. It depends on the shape of contacting
surface of the cam and the profile of the follower.
Cams are made in a variety of forms, including a rotating
disk plate with radial required profile, a reciprocating
wedge of a required shape, a cylindrical barrel cam with a
follower groove cut in a diameter and a cylindrical with
required profile cut in the end. The transformation of one
of the simple motions, such as rotation, into any other
motions is often conveniently accomplished [2]. Cam is
Corresponding Author:

Fig. 1:
the common mechanism element that drives a mating
component. A cam mechanism usually consists of two
moving elements, the cam and the follower, mounted on
a fixed frame. The cam mechanism can be classified by the
modes of input/output motion, configuration and
arrangement of the follower and the shape of the cam [3].
Fig. 1 shows the nomenclature of typical designing
of cam shape. In the figure, pitch curve is a path
generated by the trace point at the follower is rotated
about a stationary cam. Pitch circle is 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

R. Sabarish, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bharath University, Chennai, 600 073, India.

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pressure angle. Prime circle is a smallest circle from the

cam center through the pitch curve. Base circle is a
smallest circle from the cam center through the cam profile
curve. Follower travel is a position of the follower from a
specific zero or rest position in relation to time or the
rotary angle of the cam. Pressure angle is an 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.
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 [1, 4-6].
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.

Fig. 2:
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.
The synthesis analysis and dynamics of a higher pair
mechanism such a mechanism is know as cam mechanism.
It is one of the most commonly used. In this driving
member is called the cam and the driven member is
referred to as the follower. Cam mechanisms can
generated complex coordinated movements, such
mechanism are relatively compact and easy to design.
Cam are used in locks, printing machine, automatic
screw cutting machines, IC-engines for operating the
values are shoe making machines, etc.
Design of Disk Cam with Roller Follower: Nowadays,
method for design disk cam became more complex and
sophisticated. Recent methods focus on the design of
dynamically compensated cams with the purpose of
minimizing residual vibrations in high speed cam-follower
systems [7]. The basic principle of designing a cam profile
with the inversion method is still used. However, the
curve is not directly generated by inversion. In Fig. 2
show this procedure where it has two steps:
Imagine the center of the roller as a knife edge.
This concept is important in cam profile design and
is called the trace point of follower. Calculate the
pitch curve aa, that is, the trace of the pitch point in
the inverted mechanism.

Follower Displacement: The position of the follower from

a specific zero or rest position (usually its the position
when the follower contacts with the base circle of the
cam) in relation to time or the rotary angle of the cam.
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Modes of Input/output Motion:

Rotating cam-translating follower. (a,b,c,d,e,f)
Rotating follower ( f ):
The follower arm swings or oscillates in a circular arc
with respect to the follower pivot.
Translating cam-translating follower (Fig 2).
Stationary cam-rotating follower:
The follower system revolves with respect to the
centerline of the vertical shaft.

Fig. 3:
The cam profile bb is a product of the enveloping
motion of a series of rollers.
Cam Mechanisms: The transformation of one of the
simple motions, such as rotation, into any other motions
is often conveniently accomplished by means of a cam
mechanism A cam mechanism usually consists of two
moving elements, the cam and the follower, mounted on
a fixed frame. Cam devices are versatile and almost any
arbitrarily-specified motion can be obtained. In some
instances, they offer the simplest and most compact way
to transform motions.
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 as shown in Fig. 3.
Classification of Cam Mechanisms: We can classify cam
mechanisms by the modes of input/output motion, the
configuration and arrangement of the follower and the
shape of the cam. We can also classify cams by the
different types of motion events of the follower and by
means of a great variety of the motion characteristics of
the cam profile [8].

Fig. 4:
Experiments:

Fig. 5:

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This benefits engine performance in two ways: more

tappet lift can be achieved without the added duration
that would normally be required to "ramp up" a flat tappet
to the added lift-making the lift curve more "pointy"; the
lift curve can be made "broader" without increasing lift. Of
course, both of these benefits can be combined to create
a profile that can easily outperform flat tappet cams.
Distance of Lift vs Angle (H):

distance of lift

10

knife edge
roller follwer

1
0

90

180

270

360

spherical fall follwer

flat-fare follwer

Fig. 6:
In this design, ellipse shape was chosen to be
analyzed. This shape is a basic shape that generally use
in the industries nowadays. This shape has been chosen
because of the performance between input data can be
differentiate and can be analyzed according to the several
parameters that been considered. The Fig. 5 shows the
shape and geometry of the frame shape cam [9].
Flat Tappet Cams Vs. Roller Cams: Manufacturers and
racers have used flat tappet camshaft systems over the
years with great success. However, manufacturers and
racers favor roller tappet cams (when rules permit their
use)
because roller cam designs have distinct
advantages over flat tappet designs:
Friction: Sliding frictional forces are higher than rolling
frictional forces. Therefore, a roller cam takes less
horsepower to turn and generally does not wear out as
quickly. An added benefit is that roller tappets do not
require replacement when changing cams. And, if
"pop-up" solid roller tappets are used (such as P/N
72400LUN), the camshaft can be swapped without
removing the intake manifold [10].
Profile: If a cam profile has more "area under the curve,"
it has the potential to make more power. Roller profiles can
be more "aggressive" and accelerate the tappet more than
a flat tappet profile.
Flat tappet profiles can only be shaped up to the
point where the tappet "digs into" the profile. Roller
tappet profiles are not limited by this condition-so much
that even "inverted radius" profiles are possible.

0.1
cranck angle

Fig. 7:
CONCLUSION
The cam and follower system setup is designed
and fabricated, experiments are conducted on it and
results of the follower lift are obtained. The cam and
follower system set up is simple and effective for
finding the cam actuation in system of automobiles. Since
it is not having complicated part, of that experiment on
this machine parts are essential for the study on
dynamics of machinery. The fabrication and experiments
have been carried out successfully. The maximum
distance lifting in follower is roller type is better than
other type of follower.
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Erdman A.G. and G.N. Sandor, 1964, Mechanism
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Synthesis Vol. 1, Prentice Hall, New Jersey.
Chen, F.Y., 1982. Mechanics and Design of Cam
Mechanisms, Pergamon
Press, New York.
Myszka, D.H., 2005. Machines &Mechanisms,
Pearson Prentice Hall.
Third Edition, New Jersey.

Middle-East J. Sci. Res., 18 (12): 1837-1841, 2013

8.
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Jensen, P.W., 1987. Cam Design and Manufacture 2nd

ed, Marcel Dekker Inc.
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