Chapter 28. Cams and gears

A cam is generally a disc or a cylinder mounted on a rotating shaft, and it gives a special motion to a follower, by direct contact. The cam profile is determined by the required follower motion and the design of the type of follower.

The motions of cams can be considered to some extent as alternatives to motions obtained from linkages, but they are generally easier to design, and the resulting actions can be accurately predicted. If, for example, a follower is required to remain stationary, then this is achieved by a concentric circular arc on the cam. For a specified velocity or acceleration, the displacement of the follower can easily be calculated, but these motions are very difficult to arrange precisely with ...

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