Cams

Maryam Khosrowshahi
 Cams are used to convert Introduction
rotary motion into A Simple Experiment: What is
reciprocating motion. The a cam?
motion created can be
simple and regular or
complex and irregular.
 As the cam turns, driven
by the circular motion,
the cam follower traces
the surface of the cam
transmitting its motion to
the required mechanism.
  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.

Introduction
 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 .

Introduction
 An early cam was built into Hellenistic
water-driven automata from the 3rd
century BC. The use of cams was later
employed by Al-Jazari who employed
them in his own automata. The cam and
camshaft appeared in European
mechanisms from the 14th century.

History
  The use of cam and follower systems
are vital in engines, where they are
used to open and close the inlet
valve and the exhaust valve to the
cylinder head. The diagram shown
opposite shows us a typical camshaft
that could be found in a lawnmower
engine. The cam and follower
system is a plate cam and flat
follower system, and of course the
function of the system is to open and
close the valves at the correct time
during the four stroke cycle of the
engine (this will be dealt with in
more depth later). If you examine
the image close you will see that the
peaks of the cams are offset by
approximately 120 degrees. These
ensures that the both valves aren't
fully open at the same time.

The function of Cam and follower

Systems in Engines
  The diagram shown
below is another typical
cam and follower
system that could be
used in an engine. This
system incorporates a
rocker arm (shown in
blue in the image). In
this case the motion
the cam imparts on the
follower is translated to
the valve through a
push rod and the rocker
arm.

Camshaft of an Engine
incorporating a Rocker Arm
 The most well known use
of cams is in car engines.
The Cam operated valve
system can be found in
modern car engines and
incorporates a number of
cams; the valves are
opened by cams, four-
and six-lobed cams
govern the spark
distribution and many car
petrol oil pumps are cam
driven.

The cam operated valve system

 Example of a Cam and
Follower System at
work within an Internal
Combustion Engine

Example of a Cam and Follower

 Another common use of a Cam
and Follower system is within a
pump, such as an oil pump. In
such pumps the cam and
follower system is used to suck
oil in through one non-return
valve and push it out through on
other non-return valve. The
suck action is achieved by the
system because the follower is
cylindrically shaped and moves
within a tight fitting cylinder so
oil is sucked in and pushed out
as the follower moves up and
down. This is similar to the
gaseous mixtures being sucked
into and forced out of the
engine cylinder as the piston
moved up and down in the
previous example.

Another Common Use of a Cam

and Follower System
Classification of CAM Mechanism
 Based on modes of Input / Output motion :

1.Rotating cam – Translating follower

2.Rotating cam – Oscillating follower
3.Translating cam – Translating follower
4. Stationary cam-rotating follower

Classification of CAM Mechanism

Rotating cam – Translating
follower
  The follower arm
swings or oscillates
in a circular arc with
respect to the
follower pivot

Rotating cam – oscillating follower

Translating cam – Translating
follower
 A groove can be
milled in the face of
cam discs. As the
cam rotates, a
follower located in
the groove has its
motion guided by the
groove. This type of
cam is called a box
cam.

Box cam
 According to the shape of follower
1.Knife edge follower
2.Roller follower
3.Flat faced follower
4.Spherical faced follower

Classification of followers
  When contacting end
of the follower has a
sharp knife edge, it is
called a knife edge
follower. This cam
follower mechanism
is rarely used
because of excessive
wear due to small
area of contact. In
this follower a
considerable thrust
exists between the
follower and guide.

Knife edge follower

  When contacting end of
the follower is a roller, it is
called a roller follower.
Wear rate is greatly
reduced because of rolling
motion between
contacting surfaces. In
roller followers also there
is side thrust present
between follower and the
guide. Roller followers are
commonly used where
more space is available
such as large stationary
gas or oil engines and
aircraft engines

Roller follower
Flat faced
follower
When contacting end of the
follower is perfectly flat faced,
it is called a flat faced follower.
The thrust at the bearing
exerted is less as compared to
other followers. The only side
thrust is due to friction
between the contact surfaces
of the follower and the cam.
The thrust can be further
reduced by properly offsetting
the follower from the axis of
rotation of cam so that when
the cam rotates, the follower
also rotates about its axis.
These are commonly used in
automobiles.
  When contacting end
of the follower is
spherical , it is called
a spherical faced
follower. In flat faced
followers high surface
stress are produced.
To minimize these
stresses the follower
is machined to
spherical shape.

Spherical faced follower

1.Radial follower
2.Offset follower

According to the path of motion of

follower
Radial follower
When the motion of the
follower is along an axis
passing through the centre of
the cam, it is known as radial
followers. Above figures are
examples of this type.
Offset follower
When the motion of the
follower is along an axis away
from the axis of the cam
centre, it is called off-set
follower. Above figures are
examples of this type.
1.Radial or disc cam
2.Cylindrical cam
3.End cam

Classification of cams
 In radial cams, the
follower
reciprocates or
oscillates in a
direction
perpendicular to the
cam axis.

Radial or Disc cam

 In cylindrical cams,
the follower
reciprocates or
oscillates in a
direction parallel to
the cams axis.

Cylindrical cams
 It is also similar to
cylindrical cams,
but the follower
makes contact at
periphery of the
cam as shown in
fig.

End cams
 Cam profile: The
outer surface of the disc
cam.
 Base circle : The
circle with the shortest
radius from the cam
center to any part of the
cam profile.
 Trace point: It is a
point on the follower, and
its motion describes the
movement of the follower.
It is used to generate the
pitch curve.

CAM Nomenclature
 Pitch curve : The path
generated by the trace
point as the follower is
rotated about a stationery
cam.
 Prime circle: The
smallest circle from the
cam center through the
pitch curve

CAM Nomenclature
 Pressure angle: The
angle between the
direction of the follower
movement and the
normal to the pitch curve.
 Pitch point: Pitch
point corresponds to the
point of maximum
pressure angle.

CAM Nomenclature
 Pitch circle: A circle
drawn from the cam
center and passes
through the pitch point is
called Pitch circle
 Stroke: The greatest
distance or angle through
which the follower moves
or rotates.

CAM Nomenclature
As the cam rotates the follower moves upward and
downward.
 The upward movement of follower is called rise
(Outstroke)
 The downward movement is called fall (Return
stroke).
 When the follower is not moving upward and
downward even when the cam rotates, it is called
dwell.

Motion of the follower

1. Uniform motion ( constant velocity)
2. Simple harmonic motion
3. Uniform acceleration and retardation
motion
4. Cycloid motion

Types of follower motion

 Displacement diagram: Displacement is the
distance that a follower moves during one
complete revolution (or cycle) of the cam while
the follower is in contact with the cam.
 It is the plot of linear displacement (s) of
follower V/S angular displacement (θ) of the
cam for one full rotation of the cam.
 A period is a part of the cam cycle and it
includes the following:
Rise (Outstroke) – the upward motion of the
follower caused by cam motion.
Fall (Return stroke) – the downward motion of
the follower caused by cam motion.
Dwell – the stationary position of the follower
caused by cam motion.

Uniform motion (constant

velocity)
Uniform motion (constant
velocity)
 Displacement diagram
Since the follower moves with uniform
velocity during its rise and fall, the
slope of the displacement curve must
be constant as shown in fig.

Uniform motion (constant

velocity)
Simple Harmonic motion
 Since the follower
moves with a
simple harmonic
motion, therefore
velocity diagram
consists of a sine
curve and the
acceleration
diagram consists
of a cosine curve.

Simple harmonic motion

 Since the
acceleration and
retardation are
uniform, therefore
the velocity varies
directly with time.

Uniform acceleration and

retardation
Cycloid motion
 A variety of mechanical systems are
available for use by the designer to satisfy a
number of motions and work function
requirements. For complex motions wheel
mechanisms (such as gears) and flexible
drivers (such as belts and chains) cannot
fulfill their purpose. In most situations, the
designer must choose between a cam
mechanism and a link mechanism. The
inherent characteristics and the relative
advantage of the two types of mechanisms
have being summarized in the next slide.

Cams versus linkages

 CAMS LINKAGES
 Easily designed to  Satisfy limited number of
coordinate large input- output motion
numbers of input/output requirements.
motion requirements.  Occupy more space.
 Occupy less space.  Slight manufacturing
 Dynamic response is inaccuracy has little effect
sensitive to the on output.
manufacturing accuracy of  Less expensive.
the cam contour.  Difficult and complicated
 Expensive to produce. analysis involved in
 Easy to obtain dynamic dynamic.
balance.  Joint wear is non critical
 Subject to surface wear. and quieter in operation.

Cams versus linkages

a)a six-bar dwell linkage
b) a schematic of cam-and-follower system for
an over-head operating system.
Cams versus linkages
 All three types of cam
followers can be mounted
in the following ways:
1. In-line with the cam
center line,
2. Offset from the cam
center line, or
3. Mounted on a swinging
radial arm.

All cam followers wear at different rates depending on the

follower shape, size, type etc. the next section shows how to
reduce wear in a flat-foot follower.

Cam design considerations

 One method of reducing wear on a flat-face follower
is to allow the follower to rotate as the cam rotates.
This leads to an even amount of wear on the follower.

Reducing wear in a flat-face cam

follower

If the cam follower and its mechanism are
made too heavy, then during the early part of
the cam rise (that is, the acceleration portion)
the force imparted to the follower by the cam
will be large. This gives a high torque
requirement at this part of the camshaft
revolution. Furthermore, once the heavy
follower and its mechanism are moving, the
momentum will tend to keep it moving at that
speed. This means that the cam may not be in
control, during the second part of the rise, and
the heavy spring loading will be necessary to
maintain contact between the cam and the
follower at the end of the rise.
 From these considerations, it can be seen that
among the main aims to be borne in mind
during cam design are:
1. High accelerations and declarations are to
be avoided to minimize force
requirements;
2. Maximum accelerations should occur during
the middle of the stroke;
3. The mass of the mechanism to be moved by
the cam should be as small as is
practicable.

Considerations to be taken in cam

design
uniform
acceleration and
retardation with an
incline flat face
follower
In-line flat face follower,
minimum cam diameter 50
mm,
rise 36 mm through 180
degrees and a similar fall,
both having U.A.R.,
this produces a
symmetrical cam giving the
required follower motion
with either direction of
rotation.
 The study of jump, which occurs in high-
speed, highly flexible cam-follower systems,
is important to avoid the resulting noise,
vibration and wear involved with this
phenomenon.
 Unwanted vibrations induced in high-speed
production machinery can be harmful to the
machine and the product being assembled.
One of the many potential problems with
unwanted vibrations in high-speed machinery
is the possible introduction of follower jump
in a cam-follower mechanism.

Follower Jump Phenomenon

 Jump is a situation where the cam and
follower physically separate. When they come
back together the impact introduces large
forces and thus large stresses, which can
cause both vibrations and early failure of the
mechanism.

Follower Jump Phenomenon

 According to Norton, “industrial cam systems
typically have springs or air cylinders attached to
the cam follower arm to close the cam joint. The
follower train that extends beyond the follower
arm typically possesses mass and compliance.
 The dynamic model of such a system can have
only one degree of freedom (DOF) as long as the
cam and follower remain in contact. If they
separate, then the system switches to a two-DOF
mode in which the two new natural frequencies
bracket the original single mode” (Norton 2002).

JUMP IN INDUSTRIAL CAM

FOLLOWER SYSTEMS
Industrial Cam Follower
Mechanism
 Some important parameters in the design of
a complete cam follower system are the
stiffness of the closure spring and the
amount of preload that is incorporated into
the design. When the cam contact force goes
to zero, the cam and follower will separate.
Separation occurs at very large negative
accelerations of the follower. If there is not a
large enough spring force, which is
contributed by both the spring constant and
the preload, the follower will have the ability
to jump from the cam.

Follower Jump Phenomenon

 To more fully
understand the
problem imagine a
particular force or
spring closed
system containing a
plate cam and
translating roller
follower.

JUMP IN INDUSTRIAL CAM

FOLLOWER SYSTEMS
 If the cam and follower are moving at
slow speeds, then there will not be a large
dynamic effect on the system.
 For the high-speed machinery the
flexibilities of the follower train affect the
dynamics of the overall system.

JUMP IN INDUSTRIAL CAM

FOLLOWER SYSTEMS
 This figure shows the output motion of a typical elastic follower.
 Some important parameters in the design of
a complete cam follower system are the
stiffness of the closure spring and the
amount of preload that is incorporated into
the design. When the cam contact force goes
to zero, the cam and follower will separate.
Separation occurs at very large negative
accelerations of the follower. If there is not a
large enough spring force, which is
contributed by both the spring constant and
the preload, the follower will have the ability
to jump from the cam.

important parameters in the

design of a cam follower
 An investigation of incipient jump in industrial cam follower
systems, A Master of Science thesis by Kenneth Daniel
Belliveau
 http://www.scs.cmu.edu/~rapidproto/mechanisms/chpt6.html
 http://linesanddots.net/mechanisms/pages/cam.html
 http://www.handworx.com.au/gearworx/mechanics/cams.html
 http://arab-training.com/vb/t6738.html
 http://www.camsoft.it/cmm.htm
 http://www.ul.ie/~kirwanp/examplesofsystemsinuse.htm
 http://www.ul.ie/~nolk/cams.htm#Classifying
 http://www.brighthub.com/engineering/mechanical/articles/632
90.aspx

References