Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research 20 (9): 1097-1102, 2014
ISSN 1990-9233
© IDOSI Publications, 2014
DOI: 10.5829/idosi.mejsr.2014.20.09.11357
Design of Cam Mechanism
R. Gopinath
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Bharath University, Selaiyur, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
Abstract: The cam is used for small machines like workshop, automatic machinery with control parameters. This
system mainly for rotational motion into linear motion, also system is very simple because of moving parts very
less when compare with other systems.
Key words: Roller Follower Motion Mechanism Systems
INTRODUCTION get zero movement (dwell time) of the follower without
changing the rotational motion of the shaft then a cam
A cam may be defined as a machine element having follower mechanism is used [2].
a curved outline or a curved groove, which, by its
oscillation or rotation motion, gives a predetermined Types of Cam: Cams are broadly classified into four
specified motion to another element called the follower. different types according to their basic shapes:
The cam has a very important function in the operation of
many classes of machines, especially those of the Disc Cam
automatic type, such as printing presses, shoe machinery, Wedge Cam
textile machinery, gear-cutting machines and screw Cylindrical Cam or Barrel Cam
machines. In any class of machinery in which automatic End or Face Cam.
control and accurate timing are paramount, the cam is an Groove Cam.
indispensable part of mechanism. The possible
applications of cams are unlimited and their shapes occur Working: The working of a cam follower mechanism is
in great variety [1]. quite simple. The cams are usually rotated at uniform
speed by a shaft. And the follower traces the predefined
Function of Cam: It converts the rotational motion of the path depending on the profile of the cam. Since the
cam Shaft in to reciprocating or oscillatory motion of the follower motion is predetermined and will be according to
follower, which gives linear motion to other element of the the shape of the cam. So the cam is designed of respective
machine connected to the follower. As for example let us shapes as per the required linear motion of the follower
consider a system in which the rotational motion of a [3].
shaft is to be converted into reciprocating motion. This
can be easily obtained with the help of a slider-crank Advantages: The motion obtained from a cam mechanism
mechanism or a scotch yoke or bar mechanism. But if the can be easily obtained with the help of a slider-crank
requirement is to get different output motions and even to mechanism or a scotch yoke or bar mechanism. But if the
Corresponding Author: R. Gopinath, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Bharath University, Selaiyur, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India.
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requirement is to get different output motions and even to
get zero movement (dwell time) of the follower without
changing the rotational motion of the shaft then a cam
follower mechanism is to be used [4].
Other than this, a cam follower mechanism has the
following advantaged:
They are simple and inexpensive.
They have few moving parts and occupy very small
space.
Detail Study of Various Cam and Follower Profiles: Cams
are broadly classified into four different types according Face Cam: A face cam, also called as end cam has profile
to their basic shapes: made on the cylindrical surface. In a face cam, the follower
reciprocates up and down parallel to the axis of the cam.
Disc Cam: The follower moves in a plane perpendicular to
the axis of rotation of the camshaft. A translating or a
swing arm follower must be constrained to maintain
contact with the cam profile [5].
Wedge Cam: In this type cam follower in the form of
wedge, it reciprocates in the direction perpendicular to
and fro motion of the cam [6]. Groove Cam: This is a plate cam with the follower riding
in a groove in the face of the cam.
Cylindrical Cam: In cylindrical cams, the follower
reciprocates or oscillates in a direction parallel to the cam
axis. The follower rides in a groove at its cylindrical Cam Nomenclature: Given figure illustrates some cam
surface. It is also called barrel cam. nomenclaure:
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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.
Follower: A follower is a mechanical element which
remains in contact with the cam and it gives rotating or
oscillating motion to the component attached from,
through the rotational movement of the cam shaft.
Types of Follower: According to the surface in contact of
follower:
Knife Edge follower
Roller follower
Trace Point: A theoretical point on the follower, Flat Faced or Mushroom follower
corresponding to the point of a fictitious knife-edge Spherical faced follower
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 According to motion of follower:
roller.
Reciprocating or translating follower
Oscillating or rotating follower
Pitch Curve: The path generated by the trace point at the
follower is rotated about a stationary cam.
Design Principle and Equation
Cam Design: The translational or rotational displacement
Working Curve: The working surface of a cam in contact
of the follower is a function of the rotary angle of the cam.
with the follower. For the knife-edge follower of the plate
A designer can define the function according to the
cam, the pitch curve and the working curves coincide.
specific requirements in the design. The motion
In a close or grooved cam there is an inner profile and an
requirements are commonly used in cam profile design.
outer working curve.
Cam Profile Design Principle: The method termed
Pitch Circle: A circle from the cam center through the
inversion is commonly used in cam profile design. For
pitch point. The pitch circle radius is used to calculate a
example, in a disk cam with translating follower
cam of minimum size for a given pressure angle. mechanism, the follower translates when the cam turns.
This means that the relative motion between them is a
Prime Circle (Reference Circle): The smallest circle from combination of a relative turning motion and a relative
the cam center through the pitch curve. translating motion. Without changing this feature of their
relative motion, imagine that the cam remains fixed. Now
Base Circle: The smallest circle from the cam center the follower performs both the relative turning and
through the cam profile curve. translating motions. We have inverted the mechanism.
Furthermore, imagine that the knife-edge of the
Stroke or Throw: The greatest distance or angle through follower moves along the fixed cam profile in the inverted
which the follower moves or rotates. mechanism. In other words, the knife edge of the follower
draws the profile of the cam. Thus, the problem of
Follower Displacement: The position of the follower from designing the cam profile becomes a problem of
a specific zero or rest position (usually it’s the position calculating the trace of the knife edge of the follower
when the follower contacts with the base circle of the whose motion is the combination of the relative turning
cam) in relation to time or the rotary angle of the cam. and the relative translating.
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Contact Stress: Between cam and follower, line contact E1,E2 = Moduli of elasticity for cam and follower
exists and hence they are subjected to contact stresses. materials
Failure of a cam or follower is mainly due to fatigue failure B = Face width of cam.
of the surfaces. The limiting wear load depends upon the
surface endurance limit of the materials used and the Torque Required in Driving the Cam:
hardness of the contacting surfaces.
Induced contact stress, c between cam and follower Fn cos V = FV W
T=
is obtained treating them as two cylinders with a load on
them. V = Follower velocity
W = Angular velocity of the cam
= 0.591 ( Fn E1 E2 ){(1/ Rr ) ± (1/ c min)} ÷ (b( E1 + E2 ) = Pressure angle
c
Fn = Normal force acting on the cam surface
Minus sign is used when roller is in contact with the F
concave portion of the cam profile. Fn =
(2A+B)
Cos - sin
A
Fn = Normal force at the point of contact.
Rr = Radius of the roller F = sum of inertia, spring and frictional forces acting
c min = Minimum radius of curvature of the cam profile on the follower along the line of stroke.
Operation Sheets:
Operation Process Chart 1
Name of the product: Groove Cam Inspection tools required:
Material: Cast Iron
Quantity: 1 Scale
Size: Outer Diameter= 180mm Vernier Callipers
Groove width= 20mm
Groove depth=15 mm
Sl. No. Operations Machine Required Machining Time (approx.)
1. Procurement of the material Gas Cutting 25 min
2. Grinding Grinding machine 2 hr 10 min
3. Groove cutting Milling machine 6 hr 40 min
4. Finishing operation Hand filing 2 hr 25 min
After final inspection the product is sent for assembly.
Operation Process Chart 2
Name of the product: Cylindrical cam Inspection tools required:
Material: Cast Iron
Quantity: 1 Scale
Size: Outer Diameter=80mm Grove Vernier Callipers
Length=200mm
Groove width=20mm
Groove depth=20mm
Sl. No. Operations Machine Required Machining Time (approx.)
1. Procurement of the material Power Hacksaw 1 hr
2. Turning Lathe Machine 1 hr 35 min
3. Facing Lathe Machine 1 hr 5 min
4. Grinding Grinding machine 1 hr 45 min
5. Groove cutting Milling machine 6 hr 15 min
6. Finishing operation Hand filing 2 hr 20 min
After final inspection the product is sent for assembly
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Middle-East J. Sci. Res., 20 (9): 1097-1102, 2014
Operation Process Chart 3
Name of the product: Face cam Inspection tools required:
Material: cast Iron
Quantity: 1 Scale
Size: Diameter=120mm Vernier Callipers
Material thickness=10mm
Sl. No. Operations Machine Required Machining Time (approx.)
1. Procurement of the Material Power Hacksaw 35 min
2. Grinding Grinding Machine 1 hr 35 min
3. Profile cutting Hacksaw Blade 5 hr 50 min
4. Finishing Operation Hand filing 1 hr 15 min
After final inspection the product is sent for assembly.
Operation Process Chart 4
Name of the product: Roller Follower Inspection tools required:
Material: Surface Hardened Steel
Quantity: 2 Scale
Size: Diameter=19.5mm Vernier Callipers
Width=10 mm
Sl. No. Operations Machine Required Machining Time (approx.)
1. Procurement of the Material Power Hacksaw 15 min
2. Grinding Grinding Machine 25 min
3. Drilling Drilling Machine 1 hr 10 min
4. Boring Operation Boring Machine 20 min
After final inspection the product is sent for assembly.
Operation Process Chart 5
Name of the product: Knife Edge Follower Inspection tools required:
Material: Surface Hardened Steel
Quantity: 1 Scale
Size: Diameter=20mm Vernier Callipers
Height=160 mm
Taper length=20 mm
Sl. No. Operations Machine Required Machining Time (approx.)
1. Procurement of the Material Power Hacksaw 10 min
2. Turning Lathe 20 min
3. Taper Turning Lathe 20 min
4. Grinding Grinding Machine 20 min
After final inspection the product is sent for assembly.
Operation Process Chart 6
Name of the product: Base Plate And Stand Inspection tools required:
Material: Mild Steel
Size: Base Plate= 300 mm × 400 mm Scale
Stands= Varies Vernier Callipers
Sl. No. Operations Machine Required Machining Time (approx.)
1. Procurement of the Material (Base Plate) Gas cutting 20 min
2. Procurement of the Material (Stand) Hacksaw Blade Manual Cutting 50 min
3. Turning Lathe 25 min
4. Drilling Drilling Machine 1 hr 10 min
5. Assembling Arc Welding 4 hr 25 min
After final inspection the product is sent for assembly.
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Middle-East J. Sci. Res., 20 (9): 1097-1102, 2014
RESULT
The design and fabrication work of face cam, groove cam and cylindrical cam is done to show there working and
the relation between the linear outward movement obtained for the follower for different degree of rotational motion of
the cam.
Relation between angular displacement of GROOVE CAM and linear displacement of translating follower.
Angular displacement in degrees 0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360
Linear displacement in mm. 0 9 17 36 34 25 13 25 36 34 25 9 0
Relation between angular displacement of CYLINDRICAL CAM and linear displacement of translating follower.
Angular displacement in degrees 0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360
Linear displacement in mm. 113 124 128 156 174 192 198 180 159 142 128 124 113
Relation between angular displacement of FACE CAM and linear displacement of translating follower.
Angular displacement in degrees 0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360
Linear displacement in mm. 0 17 31 16 22 34 34 29 9 18 35 10 0
CONCLUSION 2. Robert L. Norton, 2006. Design of Machine Elements,
TMH publication.
From the fabricated setup of the Groove cam, 3. Khurmi, R.S., 2005. Machine Design, S. Chand
cylindrical cam and Face cam the working of cam-follower Publication.
mechanism can be understood and the relation between 4. www.howstuffworks.com/cam-follower.html
the linear outward movements obtained for the follower 5. www.ecs.umass.edu/mie/labs/mda/dlib/machine/ca
for different degree of rotational motion of the cam can be msfunda.html
determined. 6. www.google.com/cams/mechanisms.html.
REFRENCES
1. Prabhu, T.J., 2005. Design of Transmission Elements,
Bharath University, Chennai-6000073, India published
by Mani Offset Ltd.
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