THEORY OF MACHINES – II

2015 Course

Unit 4
Cam and Follower
 Unit 4
Cam and Follower

Cams are used to convert rotary

motion into reciprocating motion
 Types of Cams

• According to Shape
• Radial/Disc Cam
• Cylindrical Cam
• Wedge Cam
• Globoidal Cam
• Conjugate or Double disc cam
• According to Follower movement
• D-R-D-R-D Cam
• D-R-R-D Cam
• R-R-R Cam
• D-R-D Cam
• According to Follower Constraint
• Preloaded Spring Cam
• Positive Drive Cam
 Types of Followers

According to contact surface

◦ Knife-edge Follower
◦ Roller Follower
◦ Flat/Mushroom Follower
◦ Spherical Follower

According to Follower motion

◦ Translatory motion Follower
◦ Oscillatory motion Follower

According to Line of Follower Motion

◦ Radial Follower
◦ Offset Follower
  The linear cam moves backwards and forwards in
a reciprocating motion.

Cam Follower

Linear cam

Distance
moved by
the follower

Cam and Follower

 • Cams can also be cylindrical in shape
• Below a cylindrical cam and roller follower.

• The cam follower does not have to Cam rise and Fall
move up and down - it can be an
oscillating lever as shown above.   Max Lift

Cam and Follower Min Lift

 Terminologies in Cam-Follower

 Cam Profile
 Base Circle
 Trace Point
 Pitch Curve
 Pressure Angle
 Pitch Point
 Pitch Circle
 Prime Circle
 Lift or Stroke
 Cam Angle
 Angle of ascent
 Angle of descent
https://youtu.be/8lxMDepF7q4
 Angle of dwell
 1. Cam Profile: It is the actual working contour or working curve of the
cam. It is the surface will always remains in contact with the follower.
 2. Base circle: It is the smallest circle that can be drawn to the cam
profile.
 3. Trace point: 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.
In a roller follower, the centre of the roller represents the trace point.
 4. Pitch curve: It is the curve generated by the trace point as the
follower moves relative to the cam.
For a knife edge follower, the pitch curve and the cam profile are same
whereas for a roller follower, they are separated by the radius of the roller.
 5. Pressure angle: 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.
• 6. Pitch point: It is a point on the pitch curve having the maximum pressure angle.
• 7. Pitch circle: It is a circle drawn from the centre of the cam through the pitch
points.
• 8. Prime circle: It is the smallest circle that can be drawn from the centre of the
cam and tangent to the pitch curve.
For a knife edge and a flat face follower, the prime circle and the base circle are
identical.
For a roller follower, the prime circle is larger than the base circle by the radius of the
roller.
• 9. Lift or stroke: It is the maximum travel of the follower from its lowest position to
the topmost position.
• 10. Cam Angle: It is the angle of rotation of the cam for a particular displacement
of the follower.
• 11. Angle of ascent: It is the angle through which the cam turns when the follower
rises.
• 12. Angle of descent: It is the angle through which the cam turns when the
follower returns to the initial position.
• 13. Angle of dwell: It is the angle through which the cam turns when the follower
remains stationary at the higher or lower position.
 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.
 Standard Follower Motions

Uniform Velocity
Simple Harmonic motion
Uniform Acceleration and Retardation
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 (Outstroke/Ascent) – the upward motion of the

follower caused by cam motion.
Fall (Return stroke/Descent) – the downward motion
of the follower caused by cam motion.
Dwell – the stationary position of the follower caused
by cam motion.
 Standard Follower Motions
Uniform Velocity

X Axis Parameter
Displacement / Stroke / Lift
Velocity
Acceleration of FOLLOWER
Y Axis Parameter
Angular Displacement of CAM

S S
VO  . VR  .
O R

a
 Standard Follower Motions
Simple Harmonic Motion

S = Follower Stroke (Lift), m

ω = Ang velocity of cam, rad/s
θo= Angle for outstroke, rad

θR= Angle for returnstroke, rad

S
vO  m/s
2 O
S
vR 
2 R

 2 2 S
aO  m/s2
2( O ) 2

 2 2 S
aR 
2( R ) 2 https://youtu.be/KpyQPnk3w6k
 Standard Follower Motions
Uniform Acceleration and Retardation

S = Follower Stroke (Lift), m

ω = Ang velocity of cam, rad/s
θo= Angle for outstroke, rad

θR= Angle for returnstroke, rad

2 S
vO 
O
2 S
vR 
R
4 2 S
aO 
( O ) 2
4 2 S
aR 
( R ) 2 https://youtu.be/DRPKlpCX0Lo
 Standard Follower Motions
Cycloidal motion

S = Follower Stroke (Lift), m

ω = Ang velocity of cam, rad/s
θo= Angle for out stroke, rad
S
radius 
θR= Angle for return stroke, rad 2

2 S
vO 
O
2 S
vR 
R
2 2 S
aO 
( O ) 2

2 2 S
aR 
( R ) 2
https://youtu.be/sAAkCtIzqu4
 Determination (Drawing) of
Cam Profiles
for
different follower motions
Problem 1- Knife edge follower
Case I- without offset
Case II- with offset

Problem 2- Roller follower

Case I- without offset
Case II- with offset

Problem 3- Flat faced follower

Case I- without offset

Problem 4- Oscillating follower

Case I- without offset
https://youtu.be/DFTtkdLsgYQ
 Problem 1- Knife edge follower
Without Offset

A cam is to give a following motion to a knife-edged follower:

1) a raise of the follower through 30 mm with uniform
acceleration and deceleration during 120° of the cam.
2) dwell for next 30° of the cam rotation
3) The lower of the follower with simple harmonic motion
during the next 90° rotation of the cam
The minimum radius of cam is 30 mm rotates counter-
clockwise.
Draw the profile of the cam if the line of stroke of the
follower passes through the axis of the cam shaft.
 NOTE: For Displacement diagram
Scale: on X- axis: 1cm = 20° & on Y- axis: 1:1 (1cm = 10mm)

 GIVEN:
S = 30mm

Outstroke Motion:
UA & R

Return Stroke
Motion: SHM

Cam Rotation:
Counter- Clockwise
 Problem 2- Knife edge follower
Case I- without offset Case II- with offset

A cam is to be designed for a knife edge follower with the following data :
1. Cam lift = 40 mm during 90° of cam rotation with simple harmonic motion.
2. Dwell for the next 30°.
3. During the next 60° of cam rotation, the follower returns to its original
position with simple harmonic motion.
4. Dwell during the remaining 180°.
Draw the profile of the cam when (a) the line of stroke of the follower passes
through the axis of the cam shaft, and (b) the line of stroke is offset 20 mm
from the axis of the cam shaft. The radius of the base circle of the cam is 40
mm.
Determine the maximum velocity and acceleration of the follower during its
ascent and descent, if the cam rotates at 240 r.p.m.

Given : S = 40 mm;
θO = 90°;
θR = 60°;
N = 240 r.p.m.
rb = 40 mm
Outstroke Motion: SHM
Return Stroke Motion: SHM
 Displacement diagram

Case- I- Cam profile Case- II- Cam profile

https://youtu.be/LE5JBeva69Y
 Given : S = 40 mm = 0.04 m;

θO = 90° = = 1.571 rad ;

θR = 60° = = = 1.047 rad ;

N = 240 r.p.m.
 Problem 3- Roller follower
Case I- without offset Case II- with offset

A cam, with a minimum radius of 25 mm, rotating clockwise at a uniform speed is

to be designed to give a roller follower motion described below :
1. To raise the follower through 50 mm during 120° rotation of the cam ;
2. To keep the follower fully raised through next 30°;
3. To lower the follower during next 60°; and
4. To keep the follower at lowest position during rest of the revolution i.e. 150° ;

The diameter of the roller is 20 mm and the diameter of the cam shaft is 25 mm.

Draw the profile of the cam when

(a) the line of stroke of the follower passes through the axis of the cam shaft, and
(b) the line of the stroke is offset 15 mm from the axis of the cam shaft.

The displacement of the follower, while being raised is to take place with simple
harmonic motion whereas during lowered with uniform velocity.
Determine the maximum velocity and maximum acceleration of the follower when
the cam shaft rotates at 100 r.p.m. during raise of the follower.
Case- I- Cam profile https://youtu.be/0Be2t8_Z4sY Case- II- Cam profile
 Problem 4- Flat faced follower

A cam operates a flat faced follower which moves with cycloidal

motion during ascent and descent.
The minimum radius of cam = 30mm
Lift of follower = 40 mm
Angle of ascent = 120°
Angle of dwell = 60°
Angle of descent = 90°
Speed of cam = 320 rpm
Draw the cam profile and find the maximum velocity and
acceleration of the follower during ascent and descent.
https://youtu.be/Ut3YhbSYQ-8
 Problem 5- Oscillating Roller Follower

Draw a cam profile to drive an oscillating roller follower to the specifications given
below :
(a) Follower to move outwards through an angular displacement of 20° during the
first 120° rotation of the cam ;
(b) Follower to return to its initial position during next 120° rotation of the cam ;
(c) Follower to dwell during the next 120° of cam rotation.

The distance between pivot centre and roller centre = 120 mm ;

distance between pivot centre and cam axis = 130 mm ;
minimum radius of cam = 40 mm ;
radius of roller = 10 mm ;
inward and outward strokes take place with simple harmonic motion.
 
Angular displacement of the roller follower =20 °,
the actual displacement is given by

Displacement Diagram
Cam Profile:

https://youtu.be/hNm4SyKNwp0
 Displacement Diagram: If
 
 the follower is moving with uniform
acceleration and retardation, acceleration
being half the retardation. (Consider during
outstroke)
)
Assume angle of outstroke = 120°
Lift of the follower is = 45
Divide the outstroke angle is in multiple of
summation of numerator and denominator.
Here, Number of division of outstroke angle
= multiple of 3 i.e., multiple of (1 + 2)

  Let, & be the angle of acceleration and   Let, & be the displacement of follower
retardation respectively. during acceleration and retardation
=2 respectively.

+= =2

2 + ° +

3 = 120° 2+

° 3= 45

°
   the follower is moving with uniform
If
acceleration and retardation, acceleration
being half the retardation. (Consider during
Return stroke)

)
Assume angle of Return stroke = 120°
Lift of the follower is = 45
Divide the Return Stroke angle is in multiple of
summation of numerator and denominator.
Here, Number of division of Return stroke angle
multiple of 3 i.e., multiple of (1 + 2)

 Let, & be the displacement of follower during

  Let, & be the angle of acceleration and acceleration and retardation respectively.
retardation respectively. =2
=2
+
+=
2+
2 + °
3 = 120° 3= 45

°
°
 Methods of Control
1. Pressure angle,
2. Radius of curvature and
3. Undercutting
Radius of curvature & Undercutting
THANK YOU