Have you observed the movement of the needle in the sewing machine? The. periodic to and fro or up and down motion of the needle is called reciprocating. It is a unique mechanism that can be seen in controlling the opening and closing of valves in IC(Internal Combustion) engines. This mechanism is capable of converting rotary motion intHave you observed reciprocation motion and is called the cam and follower mechanism.
The cam and follower is a mechanical device used to achieve the desired reciprocating motion. The cam is the rotating member, and the follower is the reciprocating member. The cam is a profiled disc, cylinder or sphere that rotates. The shape or profile of the cam influences the motion of the follower. The follower is a rod that is in contact with the cam. The contact between the cam and follower is achieved using spring or the follower's weight.
The cam and follower device consists of three members in it.
As the cam rotates, its varying cross-section makes the follower in contact with it to reciprocate. The frame or guide guides the follower while reciprocating and acts as a support for the cam and follower.
Cams and followers can be classified into many types. Let us have a look at it.
The cam can be classified into:
Like cam, the followers can be classified into many types based on their shape, positions, and type of motion.
The following are the advantages of the cam and follower mechanism.
The following are the disadvantages of the cam and follower mechanism.
In IC Engines: The reciprocating motion of an IC engine's inlet and exhaust valves is achieved by the cam and follower mechanism.
In Children Toys: This cam and follower mechanism is used in many toys where simple periodic motion is required.
In Automatic Lathe Machines: The motion of tools in an automatic lathe machine is controlled by this mechanism. Also, the feed mechanism in lathe machines is done by the cam and follower mechanism.
Many types of research are still underway to promote the performance of the cam and follower mechanism. A student of Skill-Lync designed a simple cam and follower model in Hyper Works using 3D contact in 2019. He had achieved a curve-to-curve joint and successfully reduced the damping by implementing a phenomenon called lift-off.
It is the role of a mechanical design engineer to ideate new ideas to accomplish better results. According to the bureau of labor statistics, the demand for design engineers is expected to rise by 4.1% by 2028. Design engineering is a lucrative career option and the average salary of a mechanical design engineer is around 4.5 LPA. Explore Skill-Lync’s trending courses in design engineering to create an impact in the new era of technology with your designs.
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