CAMS AND

FOLLOWERS
ENGR. JEREMIE C. BALANG
Table of contents
01 02
Cam Motion
Terminologies Synthesis

03
Cam Profiles
 01
Cam
Terminologies
● CAM
○ rotating machine element
○ gives reciprocating or oscillating motion to another machine
element known as the FOLLOWER.
○ is a plate, cylinder or other solid with a surface of contact so
designed to cause or modify the motion of a second piece or
the cam itself.
● Cam and the follower have a line of contact and constitute a higher
pair.
● Cams are usually rotated at a uniform speed by a shaft.
● Follower motion – predetermined according to the shape of the
cam
 Cam and Follower

• CAM AND FOLLOWER

- one of the simplest and one of the most important mechanism in modern
machinery.

• Cams are widely use for:

- the inlet and exhaust valves of internal combustion engines
- automatic attachment of machineries
- paper cutting machines
- spinning and weaving textile machineries
- feed mechanism of automatic lathes
Type of Follower Motion
Type of Follower Motion
Commercial Roller Followers Commercial Cams of various types
 Classification of Cams

Radial or Disc
Cam
Follower reciprocates or oscillates in a direction perpendicular to
the axis.

Cylindrical Cams
Follower rides in a groove at its cylindrical surface.
Follower reciprocates or oscillates in a direction parallel to the
axis.
 Classification of Cams

Radial or Disc
Cam

Follower reciprocates or oscillates in a

direction perpendicular to the axis.
 Classification of Cams

Cylindrical Cams

Follower rides in a groove at its cylindrical surface.

Follower reciprocates or oscillates in a direction parallel to the
axis.
 Classification of Followers
Followers may be classified according to:
1. SURFACE IN CONTACT

FLAT FACED OR SPHERICAL

KNIFE-EDGE ROLLER MUSHROOM FACED
FOLLOWER FOLLOWER FOLLOWER FOLLOWER
 Classification of Followers
Followers may be classified according to:
2. MOTION OF FOLLOWER

RECIPROCATING OSCILLATING
OR OR ROTATING
TRANSLATING FOLLOWER
FOLLOWER
 Classification of Followers
Followers may be classified according to:
3. PATH OF MOTION OF FOLLOWER

RADIAL OFFSET
FOLLOWER FOLLOWER
 Classification of Follower according to the
type of contact

1. KNIFE – EDGE FOLLOWER

○ The contacting end of the follower has a small knife edge.
○ Seldom used in practice because of the small area of
contacting surface results in excessive wear.
○ A considerable side thrust exists between the follower
and the guide.
 Classification of Follower according to the
type of contact

2. ROLLER FOLLOWER
○ The contacting end of the follower is a roller
○ The rate of wear is greatly reduced
○ The side thrust also exists between the follower and the
guide
○ The roller followers are extensively used where more
space is available.
 Classification of Follower according to the
type of contact
3. FLAT FACED OR MUSHROOM FOLLOWER
○ The contacting end of the follower is perfectly flat
shaped.
○ The rate of wear may be reduced by off-setting the axis of
the follower
○ The side thrust between the follower and the guide is
much reduced
○ Generally used where space is limited.
○ When the flat faced follower is circular, it is then called a
mushroom follower.
 Classification of Follower according to the
type of contact

4. SPHERICAL FOLLOWER
○ The contacting end of the follower is spherical in shape.
○ Flat end of the flat face follower is machined to a
spherical shape to minimize stresses.
 Classification of Follower according to the
Follower Motion

1. RECIPROCATING OR TRANSLATING FOLLOWER

○ Follower reciprocates in guides as the cam rotates
uniformly.
 Classification of Follower according to the
Follower Motion

2. OSCILLATING OR ROTATING FOLLOWER

○ When the uniform rotary motion of the cam is converted
into predetermined oscillatory motion of the follower, it
is called oscillating or rotating follower.
 Classification of Follower by path of motion
of follower

1. RADIAL FOLLOWER
○ In radial cams, the follower reciprocates or oscillates in a
direction perpendicular to the cam axis.
 Classification of Follower by path of motion
of follower

2. OFF-SET FOLLOWER
○ Motion of the follower is along an axis away from the
axis of the cam center.
 In all cases, the follower must be
constrained to follow the cam. This
may be done by springs, gravity or
hydraulic means.
In actual practice, radial cams are
widely used. Therefore our
discussion will be only focused on
radial cams.
Radial Cam Terminologies
 Radial Cam Terminologies
1. Base Circle
It is the smallest circle that can be drawn to the cam profile.

2. Trace P
oint
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 center of the roller represents the trace point.
 Radial Cam Terminologies
gle
3. Pressure An
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.

4. Pitch Po
int
It is a point on the pitch curve having the maximum
pressure angle.
 Radial Cam Terminologies
5. Pitch Circle

It is a circle drawn from the center of the cam through the

pitch points.

6. Pitch Cu
rve

It is the curve generated by the trace point as the follower

moves relative to the cam
 Radial Cam Terminologies
7. Prime Circle
The smallest circle drawn, that can be drawn from the center of
the cam and tangent to the pitch curve.
In case of knife edge and flat faced follower, prime circle and base
circle are identical.

For a roller follower, the prime circle is larger than the base circle by
the radius of the roller.

8. Lift or S
troke

It is the maximum travel of the follower from its lowest

position to the topmost position. The maximum rise is called
lift
 CAM
PROFILES
 Definition of Terms

Displacement The plot of the linear displacement (s) of the

cam to the angular displacement Ɵ of the cam
Diagram for one full rotation of the cam.

Part of the cam cycle and it includes the following:

• RISE (Outstroke) – the rising motion of the follower
Period • FALL (Return Stroke) - the downward motion of the
follower
• DWELL - the stationary position of the follower
Plate No. 4 CAM PROFILES

Draw the cam profile of the cam with the

cam design CEP specifications.

• Rise SHM 1 inch for 90 degrees

• Dwell 90 degrees
• Fall uniform velocity 1 inch for 90 degrees
• Dwell 90 degrees
• Cam rotates clockwise