Today, we are going to discuss the "What is a cam? Summary of basic knowledge of the benefits of using cams.A note on "The
There are many difficult keywords in cam mechanisms, such as what a cam is, the concept of cams, and how using cams can be beneficial.
What kind of machine element is a cam?
A cam can be a machine element that has an arbitrary shape and "gives arbitrary motion to the mating side by direct contact.Wikipedia states that a cam is "a mechanical element that changes the direction of motion. As a motion, the rippled surface of the cam is rotated or moved in a linear motion and the mating side is moved by that rippled surface.
Benefits created by using cams for machines
Although it is difficult to create a wavy surface, there are advantages to using cams. The advantages are summarized below.
Cam + mechanism provides many variations in movement
The mechanism to rotate or linearly move a cam is generally a motor or linear actuator, but a number of mechanisms can be added to give arbitrary motion to the cam, such as cam followers, levers, and links.
Therefore, depending on the cam + mechanism that gives arbitrary motion to the other side by direct contact with each driving element, many variations of motion are possible. This is the greatest advantage of using cams.
High Speed and Accuracy
By incorporating cams into a machine structure, it is possible to operate the machine at a considerably high speed range. Cams are generally used in machines that manufacture semiconductors and electronic components at high speeds and in large numbers. Smooth movement of cams is an important mechanical element for high-speed operation. Depending on the design of the cam, it is also possible to take arbitrary pauses during the high speed run.
In addition, the movement of a cam can be determined by its angle of rotation. Generally, it is difficult to synchronize a machine with a cylinder or servo motor in order to operate it in a short time, but a device constructed with a cam mechanism minimizes the driving source and enables stable synchronous control and overlap.
Stabilization (ease of maintenance)
Cams are basically simple in structure. Compared to other mechanical elements, cams have fewer parts and are much less prone to failure. When a machine is operated at high speeds for long periods of time, the use of cams helps to maintain high reliability.
Smoothness of movement
If the cam can be properly designed, the motion will be smooth as if what is set in motion by the cam is continuous. A cam mechanism is suited for obtaining smooth motion at high speed execution.
That's it.