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Prepared by : Prof K N Wakchaure
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In IC engines to operate the inlet and exhaust valves
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Introduction
A cam is a mechanical member used to impart desired motion to a
follower by direct contact.
The cam may be rotating or reciprocating whereas the follower may
be rotating, reciprocating or oscillating.
Complicated output motions which are otherwise difficult to achieve
can easily be produced with the help of cams.
Cams are widely used in automatic machines, internal combustion
engines, machine tools, printing control mechanisms, and so on.
They are manufactured usually by die-casting, milling or by punch-
presses.
A cam and the follower combination belong to the category of
higher pairs.
Necessary elements of a cam mechanism are
A driver member known as the cam
A driven member called the follower
A frame which supports the cam and guides the follower
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TYPES OF CAMS
Cams are classified according to
1. shape,
2. follower movement, and
3. manner of constraint of the follower.
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I. According to Shape
1) Wedge and Flat Cams
A wedge cam has a wedge W which, in general, has a translational
motion.
The follower F can either translate [Fig.(a)] or oscillate [Fig.(b)].
A spring is, usually, used to maintain the contact between the cam
and the follower.
In Fig.(c), the cam is stationary and the follower constraint or guide
G causes the relative motion of the cam and the follower.
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Radial or Disc Cams
A cam in which the follower moves radially from the centre of
rotation of the cam is known as a radial or a disc cam (Fig. (a)
and (b)].
Radial cams are very popular due to their simplicity and
compactness.
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Spiral Cams
A spiral cam is a face cam in which
a groove is cut in the form of a
spiral as shown in Fig.
The spiral groove consists of teeth
which mesh with a pin gear
follower.
The velocity of the follower is
proportional to the radial distance
of the groove from the axis of the
cam.
The use of such a cam is limited
as the cam has to reverse the
direction to reset the position of
the follower. It finds its use in
computers.
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Cylindrical Cams
In a cylindrical cam, a cylinder which has a circumferential contour cut in the
surface, rotates about its axis.
The follower motion can be of two types as follows: In the first type, a groove
is cut on the surface of the cam and a roller follower has a constrained (or
positive) oscillating motion [Fig.(a)].
Another type is an end cam in which the end of the cylinder is the working
surface (b).
A spring-loaded follower translates along or parallel to the axis of the
rotating cylinder.
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Conjugate Cams
A conjugate cam is a double-disc cam, the two discs being keyed
together and are in constant touch with the two rollers of a follower
(shown in Fig.).
Thus, the follower has a positive constraint.
Such a type of cam is preferred when the requirements are low wear,
low noise, better control of the follower, high speed, high dynamic
loads, etc.
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II. According to Follower Movement
The motions of the followers are distinguished from each other by
the dwells they have.
A dwell is the zero displacement or the absence of motion of the
follower during the motion of the cam.
Cams are classified according to the motions of the followers in the
following ways:
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Rise-Return-Rise (R-R-R)
In this, there is alternate rise and
return of the follower with no periods
of dwells (Fig. a).
Its use is very limited in the industry.
The follower has a linear or an
angular displacement.
Dwell-Rise-Return-Dwell (D-R-R-D)
In such a type of cam, there is rise and
return of the follower after a dwell
Fig.(b).
his type is used more frequently than
the R-R-R type of cam.
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RISE-RETURN- RISE
Dwell-Rise-Dwell-Return-Dwell
(D-R-D-R-D)
It is the most widely used type of
cam.
The dwelling of the cam is followed
by rise and dwell and subsequently
by return and dwell as shown in rig.
(c).
In case the return of the follower is
by a fall [Fig.(d)], the motion may
be known as Dwell-Rise-Dwell (D-R-
D).
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DWELL-RISE-DWELL-RETURN-
DWELL
DWELL RISE - DWELL
III. According to Manner of Constraint of the
Follower
To reproduce exactly the motion transmitted by the cam to the follower, it is
necessary that the two remain in touch at all speeds and at all times.
The cams can be classified according to the manner in which this is achieved.
1. Pre-loaded Spring Cam
A pre-loaded compression spring is used for the purpose of keeping the
contact between the cam and the follower.
2. Positive-drive Cam
In this type, constant touch between the cam and the follower is maintained by
a roller follower operating in the groove of a cam.
The follower cannot go out of this groove under the normal working
operations.
A constrained or positive drive is also obtained by the use of a conjugate cam
3. Gravity Cam
If the rise of the cam is achieved by the rising surface of the cam and the return
by the force of gravity or due to the weight of the cam, the cam is known as a
gravity cam.
However, these cams are not preferred due to their uncertain behavior.
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POSITIVE_DRIVE
Classification of Followers
1. According to the surface in contact.
a) Knife edge follower.
When the contacting end of the follower has a sharp knife edge, it is
called a knife edge follower, as shown in Fig.(a).
The sliding motion takes place between the contacting surfaces (i.e. the
knife edge and the cam surface).
It is seldom used in practice because the small area of contacting
surface results in excessive wear.
In knife edge followers, a considerable side thrust exists between the
follower and the guide.
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(b) Roller follower.
When the contacting end of the follower is a roller, it is called a roller
follower, as shown in Fig. (b).
Since the rolling motion takes place between the contacting surfaces (i.e. the
roller and the cam), therefore the rate of wear is greatly reduced.
In roller followers also the side thrust exists between the follower and the
guide.
The roller followers are extensively used where more space is available
such as in stationary gas and oil engines and aircraft engines.
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(c) Flat faced or mushroom follower.
When the contacting end of the follower is a perfectly flat face, it is called a
flat-faced follower, as shown in Fig. 20.1 (c).
It may be noted that the side thrust between the follower and the guide is
much reduced in case of flat faced followers.
The only side thrust is due to friction between the contact surfaces of the
follower and the cam.
The flat faced followers are generally
used where space is limited such as in
cams which operate the valves of
automobile engines.
Note : When the flat faced follower
is circular, it is then called a
mushroom follower.
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C) Flat faced or mushroom follower.
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(d) Spherical faced follower.
When the contacting end of the follower is of spherical shape, it is called a
spherical faced follower, as shown in Fig. (d).
It may be noted that when a flat-faced follower is used in automobile
engines, high surface stresses are produced.
In order to minimise these stresses, the flat end of the follower is machined
to a spherical shape.
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2. According to the motion of the follower
(a) Reciprocating or translating follower.
When the follower reciprocates in guides as the cam rotates uniformly, it is
known as reciprocating or translating follower.
The followers as shown in Fig. (a) to (d) are all reciprocating or translating
followers.
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(b) Oscillating or rotating follower.
When the uniform rotary motion of the cam is converted into predetermined
oscillatory motion of the follower, it is called oscillating or rotating follower.
The follower, as shown in (e), is an oscillating or rotating follower.
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3. According to the path of motion of the follower.
(a) Radial follower. When the motion of the follower is along an axis passing
through the centre of the cam, it is known as radial follower.
The followers, as shown in Fig. (a)
to (c), are all radial followers.
(b) Off-set 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. The follower, as shown in Fig. ( f ), is
an off-set follower.
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Based on modes of Input / Output motion
Rotating cam Translating follower
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Based on modes of Input / Output motion
Rotating cam Oscillating follower
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Based on modes of Input / Output motion
Translating cam Translating follower
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Terms Used in Radial Cams
Fig. shows a radial cam with reciprocating roller follower. The following
terms are important in order to draw the cam profile.
1. Base circle. It is the smallest circle that can be drawn to the cam profile.
2. Trace point. It is a reference point on the follower and is used to generate
the pitch curve. In case of knife edge follower, the knife edge represents the
trace point and the pitch curve corresponds to the cam profile. In a roller
follower, the centre of the roller represents the trace point.
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Terms Used in Radial Cams
3. Pressure angle. It is the angle between the direction of the follower
motion and a normal to the pitch curve. This angle is very important
in designing a cam profile. If the pressure angle is too large, a
reciprocating follower will jam in its bearings.
4. Pitch point. It is a point on the pitch curve having the maximum
pressure angle.
5. Pitch circle. It is a circle
drawn from the centre of the
cam through the pitch points.
6. Pitch curve. It is the curve
generated by the trace point
as the follower moves relative
to the cam. For a knife edge
follower, the pitch curve and
the cam profile are same
whereas for a roller follower,
they are separated by the
radius of the roller.
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Terms Used in Radial Cams
7. Prime circle. It is the smallest circle that can be drawn from the centre of the
cam and tangent to the pitch curve. For a knife edge and a flat face follower,
the prime circle and the base circle are identical. For a roller follower, the
prime circle is larger than the base circle by the radius of the roller.
8. Lift or stroke. It is the maximum travel of the follower from its lowest position
to the topmost position.
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Motion of the Follower
The follower, during its travel, may have one of the
following motions.
Uniform velocity
Simple harmonic motion
Uniform acceleration and retardation
Cycloidal motion
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Displacement, Velocity and Acceleration Diagrams
when the Follower Moves with Uniform Velocity
The displacement, velocity and acceleration diagrams when a knife-edged
follower moves with uniform velocity are shown in Fig. (a), (b) and (c)
respectively.
The abscissa (base) represents the time (i.e. the number of seconds
required for the cam to complete one revolution) or it may represent the
angular displacement of the cam in degrees. The ordinate represents the
displacement, or velocity or acceleration of the follower.
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