BHA4224

CAMSHAFT
 Content
1. Cams and followers, types
2. Motion of follower
3. Acceleration and deceleration

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 Unit 3 – Velocity and Acceleration in
Mechanism
On successful completion of this chapter students will be able to:
1. Describe types of cams and followers.
2. Explain the motion of follower.
3. Calculate the acceleration and deceleration.

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What is Cam ?
■ A cam is a common mechanism element that drives a
matting component known as follower.
■ The camshaft is driven by the engine.
■ As the cam rotates, and the rocker arm in turn, imparts a linear,
reciprocating motion to a valve stem.
■ The rocker arm follower needs to maintain contact with the cam
surface to achieve the desired motion.

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 Advantage and Disadvantage of
Cam- Follower System
Advantage
• Can specify any desired output function
• Create a curved surface on the cam to generate
the
function
• The follower will trace the cam profile and hence
generate desired function
Disadvantage
• Follower output- rocking motion
 Cams

• Cams are used to convert rotary motion to oscillatory

motion (almost always) or oscillatory motion to rotary
motion (rarely)
• For high speed applications – example, internal
combustion engines
What is a Cam and Follower?
Application of Cams
Application of Cams - Examples
Application of Cams - Examples

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Cam

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• Proton Campro camshaft design
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• VVT stands for
variable valve
timing. It is one of
camshaft
technology which
function to varies
timing for valve
opening and
closing for better
fuel economy and
performance
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• VTEC (Variable Valve Timing & Lift Electronic Control) is a system developed by Honda to
improve the volumetric efficiency of a four-stroke internal combustion engine, resulting in
higher performance at high RPM, and lower fuel consumption at low RPM.

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Types of Cams

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Types of Cams

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 Types of Followers
• Knife-edge
• Flat-face
• Roller
• Mushroom

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Type of Motion Program

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Displacement diagrams
• Cam-follower: usually 1-DOF
system
y

rise dwell return dwell 

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 SVAJ Diagrams
• S : Position
• V : Velocity
• A:
Acceleration
• J : Jerk

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SVAJ Diagrams
■ The first task faced by the cam designer is to select the
mathematical functions to be used to define the motion of the
follower.
■ The easiest approach to this process is to linearize the cam,
i.e., unwrap it from its circular shape and consider it as a
function plotted on Cartesian exes.
■ Plot the displacement function “s”, its first derivative velocity ”v”,
its second derivative acceleration “a”, and its third derivative
jerk “j”, all on aligned axes as a function of camshaft angle θ.
■ Consider the independent variable in these plots to either time t
or shaft angle θ, and the constant angular velocity ω of the
camshaft. θ=ωt
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 Plot a displacement diagram and
determine the required speed of the
cam when the follower motion
sequence is a s follows:
Rise 2 in in 1.2 s
Dwell for 0.3 s
Fall 1 in in 0.9 s
Dwell 0.6 s
Fall 1 in in 0.9 s

1. Calculate the time for a Full cycle

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 2. Calculate the required rotational speed of the cam

3. Calculate the time for a Full cycle

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4. Plot the displacement diagram

3/21/2013 Dr. Haftirman 39

[School of Mechatronic Engineering]

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CONSTANT VELOCITY

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41 Dr. Haftirman 3/21/20 13
[School of Mechatronic Engineering]

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CONSTANT VELOCITY
■ A cam is required for an automated
transfer mechanism. The cam
follower must rise out-ward 1.0 in.
with constant velocity in 3.0 s, dwell
for 0.5 s, fall with constant velocity in
2.0 s, and then repeat the sequence.
■ Determine the required speed of the
cam and graphically plot a follower
displacement diagram.

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Since fall occurs in less time and maximum velocity occur then

=
amax
~
~
~
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 Dwell
1

Follower displacement s,

Fall
Rise
(in)

0 3 3.5 5.5 Time (s)

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CONSTANT VELOCITY
■ A cam is required for a reciprocating
follower for a pick and place robotic
arm mechanism. The cam follower must
rise out-ward 0.75 in. with constant
velocity in 1.4 s, dwell for 2.3 s, fall with
constant velocity in 0.8 s, and dwell for
1.9 s, and then repeat the sequence.
■ Determine the required speed of the
cam and graphically plot a follower
displacement diagram.

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Since fall occurs in less time and maximum velocity occur then

=
amax
~
~
~
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 Follower displacement s,
(in)
0.75

01.4
3.7
4.5
6.4
Time (s)

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CONSTANT
ACCELERATION

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 CONSTANT
ACCELERATION
A cam is required for a shaker platform.
This platform is used to test the shipping
worthiness of packaged items. The cam
follower must rise out-ward 1.0 in. with
constant acceleration in 0.7 s, dwell for
0.2 s, fall with constant acceleration in 0.5
s, and dwell for 1.9 s, and then repeat the
sequence.
Determine the required speed of the cam
and graphically plot a follower
displacement diagram.

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Since fall occurs in less time and maximum velocity and acceleration
occur then

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 Follower displacement s,
(in)
1

0
0.7
0.9
1.4
3.3
Time (s)

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