UNIT III - CAMS

2 marks:

1. What is cam?
Cam is a rotating mechanical member used for transmitting desired motion to a follower by direct
contact
2. Classification of cam?[
(i) according to cam shape
(ii) According to follower movement
(iii) According to manner of constraint of the follower
3. Classify cam based on a shape? [May/june-13]
(i) Wedge cam
(ii) Radial cams
(iii) Spiral cams
(iv) Drum cams
(v) Spherical cams
4. Classification of follower?
(i) According to follower shape
(ii) According to motion of follower
5. What is roller follower?
In place of a knife edge roller is provided at the contacting end of the follower
6. Spherical follower?
In the contacting end of the follower is of spherical shape.
7. Angle of ascend?
The angle of rotation of the cam from the position when the follower begins to rise till it reaches its
highest points.
8. Angle of descend?
The angle through which the cam rotates during the time the follower returns to the initial position.
It is denoted by θR
9. Angle of dwell? [May/june-13]
It is the angle through which the cam rotates while the follower remains stationary at the highest
or the lowest.
10. Angle of action?
The total angle moved by the cam during its rotation between the beginning of rise and the end of
return of the follower
11. What is radial or disc cams?
In radial cams the follower reciprocates or oscillates in a direction perpendicular to the cam axis.
The cams are all radial rams. In actual practice, radial cams are widely used due to their simplicity and
compactness.
12. What is dwell?
The zero displacement or the absence of motion of the follower during the motion of the cam is
called dwell.
13. What is classification of followers according to follower shape?
(i) Knife edge follower
(ii) Roller follower
(iii) Mushroom or flat faced follower and
(iv) Spherical faced or curved shoe follower
14. What is classification of follower according to the motion of the follower?
(i) Reciprocating or translating follower
(ii) Oscillating or rotating follower
15. What is classification of followers according to the path of motion?
(i) Radial follower and
(ii) Offset follower
16. What are the motions of the follower?
The follower can have any of the following four types of motions
 (i) Uniform velocity
(ii) Simple harmonic motion
(iii) Uniform acceleration and retardation
(iv) Cycloidal motion.
17. What is the application of cam?
Closing and opening of inlet and exit value operating in IC engine.
18. What are the necessary elements of a cam mechanism?
(i) Cam-The driving member is known as the cam
(ii) Follower-The driven member is known as the follower.
(iii) Frame-It supports the cam and guider the follower.
19. What is translating angle?
The wedge is replaced by a flat plate with a groove. The plate cam moves back and forth imparting
a translatory motion to the follower. Thus these cams are also known as translating cams.
20. Write the formula for maximum velocity?

21. Define tangent cam?

When the flanks of the cam are straight and tangential to the base circle and nose circle, the cam

is known as tangent cam.

22. What are the classifications of follower based on the follower movement?
i) Reciprocating (or) translating follower.
ii) Oscillating (or) rotating follower.
23. Define Pitch curve.
The locus of the tracing point is known as the pitch curve. For the purpose of laying out the cam
profiles, it is assumed that the cam is fixed and the follower rotates around it.
24. What are the classifications of the follower based on the path of motion of the follower?
a) Radial follower.
b) Offset follower.
25. What are the classifications of cam base on the constraint of the follower?
a) Pre-loaded spring cams.
b) Positive drive cams.
c) Gravity cams.
26. What is meant by Simple Harmonic Motion?
When a body rotates on a circular path with uniform angular velocity, its projection on the
diameter will have simple harmonic motion. The velocity of the projection will be maximum at the centre
of and zero at the ends of the diameter. In case of acceleration and retardation, the values will be zero at
the centre and maximum at the ends of diameter.
27. Define Trace point.
It is a reference point on the follower to trace the cam profile. In case of a knife edge follower, the
knife edge itself is a tracing point and in roller follower, the centre of the roller is the tracing point.
28. Define pressure angle of a cam mechanism and state the best value of the pressure angle.
[Nov/Dec-11]
It is the angle between the direction of the follower motion and a normal to the pitch curve. This is
very important in cam design as it represents steepness of the cam profile. If the pressure angle is too
large, a reciprocating follower will jam in its bearings.
29. Define Prime circle.
 The smallest circle drawn tangent to the pitch curve is known as the prime circle.
30. What are the classifications of cam based on the follower movement?
1) Rise-Return-Rise (R-R-R) cams,
2) Dwell-Rise-Return-Dwell (D-R-R-D) cams,
3) Dwell-Rise-Dwell-Return-Dwell (D-R-D-R-D) cams,
4) Dwell-Rise-Dwell (D-R-D) cams.
31. Compare Roller and mushroom follower of a cam.
S.N
Roller Follower Mushroom Follower
o
1. Roller followers are extensively used where The mushroom followers are generally used
more space is available. where space is limited.
2. It is used in stationary gas engines, oil It is used in cams which operate the valves in
engines and aircraft valves in engines. automobile engines.
32. Explain offset follower.
When the motion of the follower is along an axis away from the axis of the cam centre, it is called
offset follower.
33. Distinguish radial and cylindrical cams.
Radial cam Cylindrical cam
In this cam, the follower reciprocates (or) oscillates in In this the follower reciprocates (or) oscillates in
a direction perpendicular to the axis. a direction parallel to the cam axis.
34. Define trace point in the study of cams.
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.
35. Define pressure angle with respect to cams.
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.
36. Define Lift (or) Stroke in cam.
It is the maximum travel of the follower from its lowest position to the topmost position.
37. Define undercutting in cam. How is occurs?
The cam profile must be continuous curve without any loop. If the curvature of the pitch curve is
too sharp, then the part of the cam shape would be lost and thereafter the intended cam motion would
not be achieved. Such a cam is said to be undercut. Undercutting occurs in the cam because of attempting
to achieve too great a follower lift with very small cam rotation with a smaller cam.
38. What do you know about Nomogram?
In Nomogram, by knowing the values of total lift of the follower (L) and the cam rotation angle (β)
for each segment of the displacement diagram, we can read directly the maximum pressure angle
occurring n the segment for a particular choice of prime circle radius (R0).
39. Define cam angle.
It is the angle of rotation of the cam for a definite displacement of the follower.
40.State the expression for maximum acceleration of a follower moving with cycloidal motion. .
(NOV/DEC 12)
maximum acceleration of the follower during outstroke,

maximum acceleration of the follower during return stroke,

41. why sometimes the axes of translating roller followers in cam follower mechanisms are
offset from the axis of rotation of cam? .(NOV/DEC 12)
The center line of the follower does not pass through the center line of the cam shaft. The amount of
offset is the distance between these two center lines. The offset causes a reduction of the side thrust
present in the roller follower.

42.State the advantages of a tangent cams .(NOV/DEC 11)

1. These cams are usually symmetrical about the centre line of the cam shaft.
2. Such type of cams are used for operating the inlet and exhaust valves of internal combustion engines.
43. Which type of cam follower motion is used in high speed engines? Why? [May/June-12]
The flat faced followers are generally used where space is limited such as in cams which operate the
valves of automobile engines.
44. Why large pressure angle is not preferred in cam curves? (May/June-12)
If the pressure angle is too large, a reciprocating follower will jam in its bearings.