E. Cam Mechanisms

Cam, generally an input member with constant-speed rotation, is a component with a curved profile or surface whereby it imparts a displacement either by point or line contact with a cam follower. The cam mechanism is a mechanism that includes at least one cam. A simple cam mechanism consists of three components: cam, cam follower, and frame. Cam follower is the passive member actuated by cam and is adjacent to the frame with revolute or prismatic joint. The cam follower usually produces a variable-speed, discontinuous, and irregular output motion, whereas the frame is a supporting member for the cam and follower. In certain applications, use of linkages to generate a particular desired motion is not always possible, especially when a given complex motion has to be generated very accurately. Hence, through the shape of a cam, the cam mechanism made it possible to generate complex, coordinated movements. Besides, compared to the linkage mechanisms, cam mechanisms are relatively compact and easy to design.

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