Activity 4.

7 Cams in Motion
Introduction
A cam is a mechanism that moves in order to change the direction or rhythm of
movement of other parts. Usually cams are rotated by an axle or shaft and cause
linear movement of another part or parts.

Cams are used to create motion in many engineering applications, such as clock
mechanisms, sewing machines, toys, recording instruments, and engines.

In this activity you create a 3D model of a cam and study the motion that the cam
creates in a 3D computer model of a cam assembly. Based on the data you collect
through computer simulation of the cam motion, you will create a motion graph
(graphical model) and compare your motion graph to others created by teammates
who will model similar cams. Using data collected from the computer simulations,
you will develop a mathematical model for the displacement created by different size
cams of similar shape.

Later, you can use this model, and the mathematical models collected by
classmates, to help you select an appropriate cam for your Automata design.

Equipment
 Engineering notebook
 Placing work features video
 Placing assembly constraints video
 Computer with spreadsheet program

Procedure

Part 1 – Create a motion graph

1. The nominal diameter you will use for the cams is 2 in.

The nominal diameter is a dimension used to describe the cam but is not
necessarily the actual diameter of the cam. In this case, the nominal diameter is
used to calculate the actual dimensions of the cam according to the Cam
Dimension Drawings.

2. Design the: eccentric, pear-shaped, regular hexagon, and snail cam. Create a 3D
computer model of each cam using the nominal diameter and cam shape per the
Cam Dimension Drawings.

© 2016 Project Lead The Way, Inc.

Introduction to Engineering Design Activity 4.7 Cams in Motion – Page 1
3. Create a fully dimensioned part drawing of each cam. Use a 3/16” (0.1875”) hole
diameter.

4. Add the following work features to your cam 3D solid model. A software
demonstration video is available from the Resources tab that demonstrates
placing work features within your cam 3D model. These work features will later
help you properly constrain your cam in an assembly:
 a midplane work plane centered between the flat surfaces of the
cam
 a work axis through the center of the hole
 a work plane that includes the center axis of the cam hole and,
if the cam is symmetrical, represents the plane of symmetry of the
cam. Rename this work plane Angle of Rotation Cam.

Note: a snail cam will not have a plane of symmetry. In this case, place a
work plane parallel to the flat edge of the outside surface of the cam as
shown below.

pe
eccentric cam hexagon cam
ar cam snail cam

5. Simulate the motion of a cam assembly using your 3D cam model. A software
demonstration video is available from the Resources tab that demonstrates
simulating automata motion in an assembly file.
a. Download the AutomataSimulation.zip file (available from the Resources
tab) and extract the files. Save to your Student Drive
*This is already downloaded on the share drive. (you can copy over to
your Student Drive)
b. Open the AutomataSimulation.iam file. Place HexCamTEST model into
the assembly file. Before clicking to place the file, right click and click on
(90º y-axis)
c. Add assembly constraints as follows.
 Mate the midplane work plane of the cam to the work plane that
passes through the centerline of the follower rod.
 Mate the center axis of the hole in your cam with the center axis of the
axle.
 Mate the plane of symmetry of your cam to the work plane through the
center axis of the axle.
d. Test the assembly by rotating the handle attached to the axle. The cam
should rotate with the axle. Don’t worry if the cam interferes with the
follower.

© 2016 Project Lead The Way, Inc.

Introduction to Engineering Design Activity 4.7 Cams in Motion – Page 2
 e. Place a transitional constraint between the outside edge surface of your
cam and the curved surface of the bottom of the follower. (transitional tab)
f. Test the assembly by rotating the handle attached to the axle. The follower
should move up and down as the cam rotates. You may wish to turn off
the visibility of the box for now to better observe the mechanical motion.
g. Insert an angle constraint to help you measure the angle of rotation.
 Rotate your cam and orient it such that the follower is in its lowest
position.
 Turn on the visibility of the Angle of Rotation Work Plane associated
with the follower part. [Note: you can toggle visibility of a feature on
and off by right-clicking the feature in the browser and selecting
Visibility.]
 Turn off the visibility of the Mate with Midplane work plane associated
with the follower.
 Turn off the visibility of the midplane work plane of your cam.
 Place a directed angle constraint with a value of zero degrees between
the Cam Angle of Rotation work plane and the Angle of Rotation work
plane associated with follower.
h. To test the constraint, try to rotate the axle. The axle should not move.
i. Edit the angle constraint and set the angle to 45 degrees. The axle should
rotate 45 degrees, but once the constraint is applied, the axle and cam
should remain in the same position despite your attempts to rotate the part
in the assembly file.
j. Save the file as: CompletedAutomataSimulation_Last Name.iam

Note that you can suppress the angle constraint (or any assembly constraint) at
any time by right-clicking on the constraint in the browser and selecting
Suppress. Suppressing a constraint removes the constraint between the parts
but does not delete the constraint. You can reapply the constraint using the same
procedure to clear Suppress.

6. Using the AutomataSimulationTEST.iam file, Collect and record data related to

the motion of the follower. Record the height data at, at least, every 45-degree
interval. For a hexagon cam, you will want to take measurements at shorter
intervals (30-degree intervals) to record measurements at the maximum height of
the top of the follower. Note that you can change the angle of rotation by editing
the angle constraint just applied.
 Measure and record the height of the top of the follower rod above
the center of the axle with respect to the angle of rotation of the axle.

Note that you may use the Distance tool in lieu of using the ruler provided
in the assembly to measure the distance. Be sure to select the appropriate
axis and surface to obtain the correct orthogonal distance.

 Measure and record the radial dimension of the cam as the distance
between the center of the axle and the point of contact between the
bottom of the follower and the cam.

© 2016 Project Lead The Way, Inc.

Introduction to Engineering Design Activity 4.7 Cams in Motion – Page 3
 Angle of
rotation 0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360
(degrees)
Height of
top of
follower
(in.)
Radial
dimension
of cam (in.)
OR height of
the bottom
of the
follower

7. Create a motion graph.

 To graphically model the vertical motion of the top of the follower rod,
create a scatter plot with smooth lines in Excel. Format the axes, label the
axes, and title the chart. Note that you can choose a scatterplot with
smooth lines or straight lines in the Scatter menu (Insert tab > Charts
panel > Scatter tool).
 Graphically model the motion of the bottom of the follower (which is also
the radial dimension of the cam) on the same axes.
 Print a copy of your scatterplot. An example follows.

© 2016 Project Lead The Way, Inc.

Introduction to Engineering Design Activity 4.7 Cams in Motion – Page 4
 Top of follower

 Add a line that represents the length of the follower (from bottom of the
follower surface to the top of the rod) on your graph. Note that the length
of the follower does not vary and is constant for all rotation angles.

 Compare the motion graphs for the top of the follower and the bottom of
the follower. Describe the difference(s). How does this align to the length
of the follower?

PASTE HERE!:

 PART FILES (PEAR, ECCENTRIC, HEXAGON, SNAIL)

 ASSEMBLY FILE
 DRAWING FILES (PEAR, ECCENTRIC, HEXAGON, SNAIL)
 EXCEL SPREADSHEET or SKETCH OF GRAPH

© 2016 Project Lead The Way, Inc.

Introduction to Engineering Design Activity 4.7 Cams in Motion – Page 5
 © 2016 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Introduction to Engineering Design Activity 4.7 Cams in Motion – Page 6
 © 2016 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Introduction to Engineering Design Activity 4.7 Cams in Motion – Page 7
 © 2016 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Introduction to Engineering Design Activity 4.7 Cams in Motion – Page 8