Cam

A cam plate is a machine element for the control of non-uniform movements by purely mechanical basis. The functional unit of cam and cam gear lever is also called. It is primarily part of vending machines. The cam disc usually consists of a flat disk with non-uniform edge and is displaced in a smooth rotation. A spring-loaded lever which results from the rotation of the disc movement is picked up by its rim and is used for control of technological processes such as switching. Instead of a spring, a second tax disc or a disc with groove can also be used as in the picture, to keep the leadership on the cam.

Common applications for the cam in the machine tool and textile machinery and in a modified form as a cam on the camshaft in the engine. A special form of this machine element is the Geneva mechanism.

Benefits

• In contrast to the coupled gears functional relationship between input and output motion can be precisely adapted to the wishes.
• It can be implemented almost all ( continuous and differentiable ) curve geometries. One can therefore complex functions, such as may result from measurements realized.
• Economical
• Due to the simple design very reliable.

Disadvantages

• Because the only linear contact power transmission is limited.
• At high speeds, it may come to the take-off of the contact lever, if the spring forces are not sufficient to achieve the necessary accelerations.
• Cams can not reprogram itself and thus have a limited field of application. In today's engineering, they are increasingly being replaced by electrical control systems. Electronic systems can be optimized much better with it.

• Machine element
• Transmission