FACULTY OF MANUFACTURING & MECHATRONICS ENGINEERING

TECHNOLOGY
BTM 3634
MANUFACTURING COMPONENT DESIGN

Cam mechanism:

Elliptical Cam Mechanism

Eccentric Cam Mechanism

Laboratory Date:

Submission Date:

Group : 03
Section : 02P
Lecturer : DR MOHD ZAIDI SIDEK

Members
Student name ID Signature
MOHAMAD FARHAN HAIKAL BIN TA19106
RAMELI
AHMAD AMER NAJMI BIN MUHAMAD TA19130
ADIB
MUHAMMAD HAZIQ AIMAN BIN A TA19097
HALIM
KHAIRUL NADHIRA BINTI REDZWAN TA19171
DAYANG NADIA NATASA BINTI TA19107
ZOLKFLE
1.0 Objectives

After completing the simulation experiment on eccentric and elliptical cam one should be able
to:

● To understand the position, velocity, acceleration and jerk of a cam with respect to time.
● To observe the effect of change in radius, eccentricity, angular position and speed on the
position, velocity, acceleration and jerk of the follower.

2.0 Theory

Cams are mechanical devices, used to generate the curvilinear or irregular motion of
mechanical elements. Cams convert rotary motion into oscillatory motion or oscillatory
motion into rotary motion. In general, cams have three elements, namely; cam, follower and
the frame. The cam acts as an input member and the follower functions as an output member.
The frame supports the cam and guides the follower. Transmission of motion from the cam to
the follower is achieved by direct contact, where the rotation motion is converted into the
translation motion. The cams are more advantageous in producing complicated output
motions, which are otherwise difficult to achieve.

Classification of cams

The cams are classified based on the profile and its contour. The basic classification include,

Wedge and Flat Cams

A typical arrangement of wedge cam is shown in Figure 1a. A wedge cam has a wedge of
specified contour and a follower. The follower can either translate or oscillate based on the
translation motion of the cam. A spring is used to maintain the constant contact between the
cam and the follower.
Plate cam

The plate(or disc) cam (Figure 1b) is a flat disc with an irregular contour to impart a specific
motion to the follower. The follower moves in a plane normal to the axis of rotation of the
camshaft and is held in contact with the cam by springs or gravity. As the cam rotates, its
profile translates into a particular movement of the follower, usually up and down. Plate cams
are very popular due to their simplicity and compactness.

Cylindrical cam

Cylindrical cam (Figure 1c) comprises a groove cut on its outer periphery. The roller follower
operates in a groove that may translate or oscillate.

Figure 1 Types of cam (a) Wedge cam, (b) Plate cam (c) Cylindrical cam
[Courtesy:http://nptel.ac.in/courses/112103174/module4/lec3/1.html]
Cam Nomenclature

The nomenclature of a Cam is illustrated Figure 2

Figure 2 Cam nomenclature

[Courtesy: https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~rapidproto/mechanisms/chpt6.html]

Trace point: A theoretical point on the follower, corresponding to a fictitious knife-edge

follower. It is used to generate the pitch curve. For a roller follower, the trace point is at the
centre of the roller.

Pitch curve: The path generated by the trace point as the follower rotates 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

Pitch circle: A circle from the cam centre through the pitch point. The pitch circle radius is
used to calculate the minimum size of a cam for a given pressure angle.

Prime circle (reference circle): The smallest circle from the cam centre through the pitch
curve. Base circle: The smallest circle from the cam centre through the cam profile curve.

Base circle: The smallest circle from the cam centre 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 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.

Motion events
During the motion of a cam for one complete cycle, the follower executes a series of events
consisting of rises, dwells and returns (Figure 3). Rise is the motion of the follower away
from the cam centre, dwell is the motion during which the follower is at rest and return is the
motion of the follower toward the cam centre.

Figure 3 Cam motion cycle

[Courtesy:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cam#/media/File:Basic_Displacement_Diagram.JPG]

Applications of Cam
Cams are widely used in automation of machinery, gear cutting machines, screw machines,
printing press, textile industries, automobile engine valves, tool changers of machine centres,
conveyors, pallet changers, sliding fork in warehouses, etc.
Cams in automobile
Cams are also used in I.C engines to operate the inlet valves and exhaust valves. The
camshaft rotates by using prime movers. It causes the rotation of the cam. This rotation
produces translatory motion of tappet against the spring (Figure 4). This translatory motion is
used to open or close the valve.

Figure 4 Application of cam in an automobile

[Courtesy: https://www.howacarworks.com]

Cams in automatic lathes

The camshaft is driven by a motor. The cutting tool mounted on the transverse slide travels to
desired depth and at desired feed rate by a set of plate cams mounted on the camshaft. The
bar feeding through headstock at desired feed rate is carried out by a set of plate cams
mounted on the camshaft.

Figure 5 Automatic copying of cam profile

[Courtesy: http://nptel.ac.in/courses/112103174/module4/lec3/4.html]
The cam profile can be transferred onto the workpiece by using a roller follower as shown in
Figure 5. The follower can be mounted with a cutting tool. As the cam traverses, the roller
follows the cam profile. The required feature can be copied onto the workpiece by the
movement of the follower over the cam profile.

Velocity and acceleration analysis

Eccentric cam
An eccentric cam (Figure 6 ) is a disc with its centre of rotation positioned ‘off centre’.
This means as the cam rotates the flat follower rises and falls at a constant rate. This type of
cam is the easiest to make, and yet it is one of the most useful. It is most often employed in
steam engines and used to convert rotary into linear reciprocating motion in order to drive a
sliding valve or a pump ram.

Figure 6 An illustration of an Eccentric cam

An eccentric cam usually has a groove at its circumference around which is closely fitted a
circular collar (eccentric strap) attached to an eccentric rod. The rod is suspended in such a
way that its other end can impart the required reciprocating motion.
Velocity, acceleration and jerk in an eccentric cam
A detailed mathematical formulation to derive the velocity, acceleration and jerk in an
eccentric cam is discussed below.
A schematic representation of an eccentric cam is shown in Figure 7.
Let,
a= eccentricity
r= radius of circular cam
θ= angular position of cam
θ= angular position of eccentric cam with respect to normal
ω= angular velocity of the cam (assumed to be constant)
With respect to the Figure 7, the position of the follower of the elliptical cam is given by

Figure 7 Schematic representation of an eccentric cam

The position p of the follower of the elliptical cam is given by,

Where,
The velocity of reciprocation v, of the follower is the derivative of position p and is given by:

The acceleration of the follower acc, is also a derivative of velocity and it written as,

The jerk is rate of change of acceleration and it is given by:

Elliptical cam:
Elliptical cam is a special type of cam which is used for sudden increment in position,
velocity, acceleration, or jerk is the elliptical cam. These parameters are dependent on the
major and minor axis of the cam. Larger the difference between the major and minor axis of
the elliptical cam, higher will be the velocity, acceleration and jerk received by the follower.
It is worth noting that, if the major and minor axis of cam becomes equal, the profile of cam
becomes circular then the lift of the follower will be zero.

Velocity, acceleration and jerk in an elliptical cam

A schematic representation of an eccentric cam is shown in Figure 8

Figure 8 Schematic representation of an eccentric cam

Position p in an eccentric cam is given by,

where, a is the semi-major axis of the ellipse, b = semi-minor axis of the ellipse θ = angle
made by the semi-major axis with the horizontal m= slope of the major axis ω = angular
velocity of the cam (assumed to be constant)
The slope of the major axis with respect to the vertical is:

The velocity of reciprocation of the follower is the first derivative of the position, which is
given by,

The derivative of velocity yields the acceleration acc of the follower and is given by:

The jerk experienced by the follower is the derivative of the acceleration and is given by,
3.0 Laboratory activity
3.1 Simulation Analysis & Results

ELLIPTICAL CAM MECHANISM

ECCENTRIC CAM MECHANISM
 3.2 Self evaluation
1. In its simplest form, a cam mechanism consists of the following number of links.
-3
2. For high-speed engines, the cam follower should move with
.-Cycloidal motion
3. Cam size depends upon
-Base Circle
4. Cam angle is defined as the
- Angle of rotation of the cam for a definite displacement of the follower

3.2.1. Quizzes

1. Pitch point on a cam is

-The point on cam pitch curve having the maximum pressure angle
2. Throw of a cam is the maximum distance of the follower from
-Base circle
 3. A cam mechanism imparts following motion
-Both (a) and (b)
4. A cam with a roller follower is an example of a
-Higher pair

4.0 Conclusion
In conclusion, we now understand how eccentric and elliptical cams function. Cams are
mechanical tools that produce the curved or irregular motion of other mechanical
components. Cams change oscillatory motion into rotary motion or rotary motion into
oscillatory motion. In addition, we comprehend the positioning, velocity, acceleration, and
jerk of a cam in relation to time. Kinematic study was carried out to demonstrate the
availability of the output shaft intermittent motion and to carry out further dynamics studies
and design. As a consequence, the linkages' similar velocities and centres of mass were
identified.

5.0 References

● Robert L. Norton, Design of Machinery, 2nd Edition, WCB McGraw Hill

● S S Ratan, Theory of Machines, 2nd Edition, Tata McGraw Hill
● Cam follower,Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopaedia