CAM and Follower

Cam and Follower

• The cam and follower is a device which can
convert rotary motion (circular motion) into Follower
linear motion (movement in a straight line).

Cams Cam

Followers
(valves)
• Cam mechanisms are widely used because with them, different types
of motion can be possible. Cams can provide unusual and irregular
motions that may be impossible with the other types of mechanisms.

• However, the manufacturing of cams is expensive and the wear effect

due to the contact stresses is a disadvantage.
Cam and Follower follower

• The cam can have

various shapes.
Cam
These are know as
cam profiles.

Pear Heart Circular Drop

Cam and Follower Follower

• A follower is a component
which is designed to move
up and down as it follows cam
the edge of the cam.

Knife edge Flat foot Roller

Follower follower follower
Cam and Follower
Examples of a Rotary cams in operation.

Control the movement of the

engine valves.
• The linear cam moves backwards and forwards in a reciprocating
motion.

Cam Follower

Linear cam

Distance
moved by the
follower
Examples for cam

• In IC engines to operate the inlet and exhaust valves

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
Cam and Follower
• Cams can also be cylindrical in shape
• cylindrical cam and roller follower.
Rotating cam – Translating follower
Rotating cam – oscillating follower
Translating cam – Translating follower
Classification of followers
• According to the shape of follower

• Knife edge follower

• Roller follower
• Flat faced follower
• Spherical faced follower
Knife edge follower
Roller follower
Flat faced follower
Spherical faced follower
According to the path of motion of follower
a) Radial follower
b) Offset follower
Radial follower

• When the motion of the follower is along an axis passing

through the center 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 center, it is called off-set follower. Above figures
are examples of this type.
Motion of the follower
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.
Types of follower motion
1. Uniform motion ( constant velocity)
2. Simple harmonic motion
3. Uniform acceleration motion
4. Cycloidal motion
Uniform motion (constant velocity)
• 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 (Out stroke) – 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)
SVAJ Diagrams
• Unwrap the cam
• Plot position (s), velocity
(v), acceleration (a) and
jerk (j) versus cam angle
• Basis for cam design

28
RDFD Cam Design
• Motion is between two dwells

29
RDFD Cam, Naïve Cam Design
• Connect points using
straight lines
• Constant velocity

 Infinite acceleration
and jerk
 Not an acceptable
cam program

30
Fundamental Law of Cam Design
Any cam designed for operation at other than very low speeds
must be designed with the following constraints:
• The cam function must be continuous through the first and
second derivatives of displacement across the entire interval
(360°).

• The jerk must be finite across the entire interval (360°).

31
 RDFD Cam Design
Simple Harmonic Motion h

h   
s 1 - cos   
2  
ds h   
v  sin  
dθ 2    
dv h 2   
a  cos  
d 2  2   
da  h 3   
j  sin   
d 2 3 ∞
  ∞
 Acceleration is discontinuous
 Jerk is infinite (bad cam design)
32
 Cycloid
• A curve traced by a point on a circle being rolled along a straight line.
 RDFD Cam, Cycloidal h
Start with acceleration & integrate:
 2 
a  C sin  
  
C  2 
v cos    k1
2   
Since v0 at  0 then:
C
k1 
2
C   2 
v 1  cos  
2    
C     2 
2

s   C   sin    k2
2  2    
35
 RDFD Cam, Cycloidal h
C     2 
2

s   C   sin    k2
2  2    
• Since s=0 at =0, k2=0
• Since s=h at ,
 C  2 h
h   C  2
 2  
s h  h sin  2 
 2  

v  h 1  cos 2  

   

a  2h  2 
2 sin  
 

j h 2 2
 2 
3 cos 
 
36
RDFD Cam, Cycloidal
 
h
s h  h sin 2
 2 
Equation for a cycloid.
Cam has a cycloidal displacement
or sinusoidal acceleration
Valid cam design (follows
fundamental law of cam design)
Acceleration and velocity are
higher than other functions
General procedure for design is to
start with a continuous curve for
acceleration and integrate.
37
Polynomial Functions
• We can also choose polynomials for cam functions
• General form:
s  C0  C1x  C2 x  C3 x  C4 x    Cn x
2 3 4 n

where x=/ or t
• Choose the number of boundary conditions (BC’s) to satisfy the
fundamental law of cam design

38
3-4-5 Polynomial
• Boundary conditions
 @=0, s=0,v=0,a=0
 @, s=h,v=0,a=0
• Six boundary conditions, so order 5
since C0 term

2
   
s  C0  C1   C2  
 
3 4 5
     
 C3    C4    C5  
    
39
3-4-5 Polynomial 2 3 4 5
         
s  C0  C1   C2    C3    C4    C5  
    
1   
2 3 4
     
v  C1  2C2    3C3    4C4    5C5   
       

1    
2 3
   
a  2 2C2  6C3    12C4    20C5   
        

@=0, s=0=C0 v=0=C1/ a=0=2C2/2

C0=0 C1=0 C2=0
@=, s=h= C3+C4+C5, v=0=2C3+3C4+5C5
6C3+12C4+20C5
Solve the 3 equations to get    3  
4
  
5
s  h 10   15   6  
        

40
• 3-4-5 polynomial
• Similar in shape to cycloidal 4-5-6-7 Polynomial
• Discontinuous jerk
   3  
4
  
5
s  h 10   15   6  
        

• 4-5-6-7 polynomial: set the jerk to be

zero at 0 and 
   4  
5
 
6
 
7
s  h 35   84   70   20  

         

• Has continuous jerk, but everything

else is larger
41
Obtaining the Cam’s Profile
Sizing the Cam, Terminology
• Base circle (Rb) – smallest circle that can be drawn tangent
to the physical cam surface
• Prime circle (Rp) – smallest circle that can be drawn tangent
to the locus of the centerline of the follower

• Pitch curve – locus

of the centerline of
the follower

43
 Follower Types
Followers can be knife edged, rollers or flat footed

Knife Edged Roller Flat Footed

• In order to determine the shape of a cam, a displacement diagram is
drawn first.
• The height of the diagram (A) is equal to the total displacement of the
follower ie. the difference between the highest and lowest points.
• The width of the displacement diagram does not matter but it is divided
into regular divisions representing angular increments (on the cam)
• 30° increments are generally used
 360
330 30

300 60

30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360

270 90

240 120

210 150
180
Cams
• Draw the displacement diagram for a cam rotating in an anticlockwise
direction imparting the following motion to the inline knife edge
follower:
• UV rise 0˚-90˚ of 40mm
• Dwell 90˚-180˚
• SHM fall 180˚-360˚ of 40mm
• Nearest approach of the follower is 20mm
• The cam shaft diameter is 15mm
 Nearest approach of follower is 20mm
Total rise 40
Ø15 mm shaft
UV SHM
Dwell
rise Fall 0˚
30˚
0˚ 360˚

330˚ 30˚
60˚

90˚

300˚ 60˚
120˚

0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360 150˚

270˚ 90˚

240˚ 120˚

150˚
210˚
180˚
Roller Followers

• Are used because they give a

smoother movement and they
wear more evenly
Cams
• Draw the displacement diagram for a cam rotating in an anticlockwise
direction imparting the following motion to an inline roller follower:
• UV rise 0˚ - 90˚ of 40mm
• Dwell 90˚ - 180˚
• SHM fall 180˚ - 360˚ of 40mm
• The roller follower has a diameter of 12mm
• Nearest approach of the follower is 20mm
• The cam shaft diameter is 15mm
 Nearest approach of follower 20mm
Total rise 40
Roller Ø12
Ø15 mm shaft
UV SHM
Dwell
rise Fall 0˚
30˚
0˚ 360˚

330˚ 30˚
60˚

90˚

300˚ 60˚
120˚

0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 250 270 300 330 360 150˚

270˚ 90˚

250˚ 120˚

150˚
210˚
180˚
Flat Footed Follower

• Wears slower than a knife edge

follower
Cams
• Draw the displacement diagram for a cam rotating in an anticlockwise
direction imparting the following motion to the flat follower:
• UV rise 0˚ -90˚ of 40mm
• Dwell 90˚ -180˚
• SHM fall 180˚ -360˚ of 40mm
• The follower extends 6mm to either side
• Nearest approach of the follower is 20mm
• The cam shaft diameter is 15mm
 Nearest approach of follower 20mm
Total rise 40

UV SHM
Dwell
rise Fall 0˚
30˚
0˚ 360˚

330˚ 30˚
60˚

90˚

300˚ 60˚
120˚

0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 250 270 300 330 360 150˚

270˚ 90˚

Flat footed follower extends 6mm to either side

250˚ 120˚
Ø15 mm shaft

150˚
210˚
180˚
CAM Profile
 Plot the follower
displacement diagram
for an in-line knife-edge
follower in contact with
the cam profile shown
below
 360°

30°
330°

60° 300

0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150° 180° 210° 240° 270° 300° 330° 360°

90° 270°

120° 240°

150° 210°
180°