CAM ANALYSIS MACHINE

Cam Analysis Machine

NOTE:

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this manual is accurate;
however no labiality is accepted for errors. Should an error be discovered please inform the
company in writing, giving full details. Any experimental results given are for guidance only and
are not guaranteed as exact answers that can be obtained for a given apparatus; due to the
complex variables applicable to most experiments.

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 Cam Analysis Machine

Table of Contents
Page
1. INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................... 1

2. GENERAL DESCRIPTION .......................................................................................... 2

2.1 Unit Assembly ............................................................................................................ 2
2.2 Specifications .............................................................................................................. 2

3. SUMMARY OF THEORY ............................................................................................ 3

3.1 Types ........................................................................................................................... 3
3.2 Terms .......................................................................................................................... 3
3.3 Design Specifications.................................................................................................. 5

4. EXPERIMENTS ............................................................................................................. 10
4.1 Objective ..................................................................................................................... 10
4.2 Procedure .................................................................................................................... 10
4.3 Assignments ................................................................................................................ 10

5. SAFETY PRECAUTIONS............................................................................................. 11

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 Cam Analysis Machine

1 INTRODUCTION:

The EES® Cam Analysis Machine is capable of doing the complete analysis of
different shapes of cams efficiently. A cam is a rotating or sliding piece in a mechanical
linkage used especially in transforming rotary motion into linear motion or vice-versa. A
cam changes the input motion, which is usually rotary motion (a rotating motion), to a
reciprocating motion of the follower. The cam is in most cases merely a flat piece of
metal that has an unusual shape or profile machined onto it. This cam is attached to a
shaft which enables it to be turned by applying a turning action to the shaft. As the cam
rotates it is the profile or shape of the cam that causes the follower to move in a particular
way.

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 Cam Analysis Machine

2 GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

2.1 Unit Assembly:

8 9 10

1
5

2
4

1. Motor 6. Spring

2. RPM sensor 7. Weights

3. Different Shapes of Cams 8. Drum

4. Cam 9. Coupling

5. Follower 10. Flywheel

2.2 Specifications:

Tangent Cam: Convex Cam:

R = Base circle radius: 30 mm R = Base circle radius: 30 mm

r = Radius of nose: 11 mm r = Radius of nose: 12 mm
d = Center distance: 36 mm d = Center distance: 35 mm

Concave Cam: Unsymmetrical Cam:

R = Base circle radius: 30 mm R = Base circle radius: 30 mm

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 Cam Analysis Machine

3 SUMMARY OF THEORY:

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.

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. When the cam turns through one motion cycle, the follower
executes a series of events such as;

Rise is the motion of the follower away from the cam center.

Dwell is the motion during which the follower is at rest.

Return is the motion of the follower toward the cam center.

3.1 Types:

Some of the most common forms of cams are given below;

Convex cam Tangent cam Concave cam Unsymmetrical cam

3.2 Terms:

Important terms related to cam and its profile is;

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.

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 Cam Analysis Machine

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 it’s the position when the follower 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 angle Tangent Cam Curved flank cam

0° - 90° 25.4 (rise) 25.4 ( rise)
90° - 180° 25.4 (fall) 25.4 (fall)
180° - 360° Dwell Dwell

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 Cam Analysis Machine

3.3 Design Specifications:

3.3.1 Tangent Cam with Roller Follower:

Roller in contact with flank (Fig. 1)

Let
R = Base circle radius: 25.4mm
r = Radius of nose: 12.7 mm
d =Center distance: 38.1mm
ro = Radius of follower: 14.3 mm
Consider the roller follower in contact with the flank AB, as in Fig. 1:

FIG.1

Then the cam has rotated through an angle θ from the lowest position of
the follower center Q, displacement of the follower from lowest position,
X
X = OQ1 - OQ
= (R + ro) Sec θ - (R + ro) where 0<=θ<=β. (1)
θ = 0 corresponds to the point A and θ=β corresponds to point ψ on fig. 1.
dX
Velocity V = 
d

= (R+ro) Sec θ Tan θ (2)

d2X dV
Acceleration A = 2  2
d 2
d

= 2
(R - ro) (Sec3θ + Sec θ Tan2θ)

= 2
(R + ro) (2 Sec3θ + Sec θ) (3)

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 Cam Analysis Machine

The range of the cam angle (β) turned while the roller moves from A to ψ
is:

sin 
Tanβ= d
R  ro

Where α is the total angle of lift.

In this case, α = 70.53° and β = 42.14°

3.3.2 Roller in contact with nose:

When the roller has rotated through an angle θ from the highest position of
the follower, displacement of follower:
X = OQ2 - OQ

= {d Cos θ + (r + ro) Cos λ} - (R + ro) where 0<=θ<=(α-β)

θ=0 corresponds to point ω and θ=α-β corresponds to point D in fig.1.

Also  d Sin θ = (r + ro) Sin λ

d
Sin λ = Sin θ
r  ro

1
= Sin θ
n

Because Cos λ = ( 1 - Sin 2λ )0.5

sin  2 0.5
Then X = d Cos θ + (r + ro) [ 1 - ( ) ] - (R + ro)
n

= d { Cos θ + ( n2 - Sin2θ )0.5} - ( R + ro) (4)

sin 2
and V=   * d (sin   ) (5)

2 n 2  sin 2  
0.5

sin 4   n 2 cos 2
and A=   2 * d (cos   ) (6)
n 2
 sin 2  
1.5

The velocity decreases from a maximum at B to zero at C while the

acceleration falls from a maximum at B to a minimum at C.

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 Cam Analysis Machine

3.3.3 Cam with curved flanks (Roller Follower):

Roller in contact with flank (See Fig. 2)

Let R = Base circle radius: 25.4 mm
r = Radius of nose: 12.7 mm
d = Center distance: 38.1 mm
ro = Radius of follower : 14.3 mm
ρ = Radius of curvature: 79.4 mm
Consider follower in position Q1 as shown in Fig.2.
The length 'PA' = (ρ + ro) ωos
also 'PA' = OQ1 Cos θ + (ρ - R)
Equating above equations gives:
(   ro ) cos  (   R)
OQ1 = )
cos 

FIG. 2
From Cosine Rule,
(   ro ) 2  (   R) 2  OQ1
2

cos 
2(   ro )(   R)
Now substituting for ωos in above equation leads to
OQ12 + 2OQ1(ρ - R) Cos θ - {(ρ + ro)2 - (ρ - R)2} = 0
hence X = OQ1 - (R + ro)
Displacement:
 (   ro ) 2 ( R  ro ) 
X  (   R) (cos 2    1) 0.5  cos    (7)
 (   R) 2
(   R) 
Where 0<=θ<=β,
θ=0 corresponds to the point A and θ=β corresponds to point B in fig.2.

Velocity:
 
 
dx sin 2 (8)
V    (   R) sin   
d  (   ro ) 2
0.5 
 2(cos  
2
 1) 
 (   R) 2 

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 Cam Analysis Machine

Acceleration:
 (   ro ) 2 
 cos 2 (cos 2
   1)  0.25 sin 2 2 
2
d x (   R) 2
(9)
A   2  (   R) cos   
d 2  (   ro ) 2 
 (cos  
2
 1) 1.5

 (   R) 2


When the roller is in contact with the nose of the cam, then equation (4),
(5), and (6) apply. Angle β (angle turned through while roller is on flank)
is given by:

(   ro )d
tanβ=
(   ro )(   R)  (   R)(   ro )

3.3.4 Dynamic forces on follower and spring:

Bouncing:

The continuous contact between the follower and the cam is achieved by
the two forces
1. Downward forces of the spring
2. Follower weight.
On the other hand, the force along the axis of the follower exerted by the
cam is the driving force of the follower.
For the cam system shown in Fig. 3,
If m is the effective mass of the follower, then the driving force required
to accelerate the follower:

ΣF = mf • Af

Let S be the follower spring stiffness and xo the initial compression of the
spring. When the follower mass is driven through a distance X the spring
force is S(X + xo). The equation of motion is:

F - mfg - S(X - xo) = mf Af

Where F = contact force
mf = mass of the follower
Af = acceleration of the follower.
S=4530N/m
Preloading xo = 0.15 cm
Af is a function of

1. Spring stiffness S
2. Initial spring compression xo
3. Effective mass mf

Fig.3: Schematic of a cam system

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 Cam Analysis Machine

When the cam contacts the follower, the acceleration of the follower, Af,
is equal to acceleration, A, of the cam along the axis of the follower. This
A can be derived from the cam's displacement diagram and is a function of
the angular velocity of the cam. During a rise phase, A should be larger
than or equal to Af to keep the contact and during a fall phase, A should
be smaller than or equal to Af for the same reason.

Prevention of bouncing:

At a point of follower bounce, the contact force F is equal to zero. The

corresponding cam velocity is called bounce velocity.
Then -mfg - S(X - xo) = mfAf

 To prevent bounce, the F must be larger than zero:

That is
m f g  S ( X  x0 )
A  Af  
mf
 m g  S ( X  x0 ) 
or  f A
 mf 

also A = k 2 ,where k is dictated by the contour of the cam.

Therefore, the condition to prevent bounce is:
 m f g  S ( X  x0 ) 
   k
2

 mf 
To increase the bounce velocity, the parameters (S, x o, and
mf) can be adjusted.

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 Cam Analysis Machine

4 EXPERIMENTS:

4.1 Objective:

1. To analyze the working of the different shapes of cams.

4.2 Procedure:

1. Insert the pen into the penholder and allow it to gently touch the paper
wrapped around the drum.
2. Make the electrical connections between the apparatus, Speed controller and
the AC power supply.
3. Fix the cam in the machine and rotate the flywheel to record the displacement
diagram for the cam.
4. Release the pen and turn on the controller with the speed knob at minimum.
5. Gradually increase the cam speed until the bounce speed is captured. The
bouncing speed is at which the cam begins to chatter and a loud banging noise
is heard.
6. Measure the bouncing speed using an rpm meter.
7. Repeat the same steps (1-6) for the other cam.

4.3 Assignments:

1. Obtain the displacement diagrams of the two cams and compare it with the
theoretical ones.
2. Measure the bouncing speeds of the cams and generate the velocity and
acceleration profiles using a code preferably MATLAB.
3. Specify as to which type of cam has better dynamics and also discuss ways of
improving the dynamics of tangent cam.

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 Cam Analysis Machine

5 SAFETY PRECAUTIONS:

Before actually beginning the experimental procedure the following precautions are to be
followed.

1. Make sure that the nut securing the cam on the shaft is tight.
2. Revolve the cam through one or two revolutions, by means of the flywheel, to ensure
that the spring pre-tension is not excessive.
3. Switch on the mains electrical supply and rotate the control knob slowly clockwise.
4. The motor will then begin to rotate. Should the motor stall - this may occur if the
follower is in contact with the leading flank of the cam when starting - return the
control knob to zero and rotate the camshaft by hand in the opposite direction to that
of the motor, until the follower is in contact with the other flank.
5. Now rotate the control knob clockwise and the camshaft should revolve. The initial
displacement xo has been adjusted to be zero.

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