Add Conjugate Cam FB

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Add Conjugate Cam FB

Add Conjugate Cam FB

See Conjugate-Cam dialog-box

About Conjugate Cams

The design of a cam-system must make sure the Follower (usually a Roller) is in continuous contact with the cam-profile at all machine-speeds. There are two(2) design options:

A.Force-Closed Cam - an external force pushes or pulls the Follower against the Cam-Profile. E.g. a Spring, Air-Cylinder, Gravity, Magnet, ...

B.Body-Closed Cam - a minimum of two(2) Followers in the Follower-Part are in continuous contact with two(2) Cam-Profiles in the Cam-Part. The interactions prevent the Followers moving away from the Cam-Profiles.

Body-Closed Cams, are also called Conjugate-Cams.

Why add a Conjugate-Cam FB ?

When there is a one Cam-Profile and one Follower, the normal procedure is to select the 2D-Cam as the Power-Source for the Follower-Part.

However, when there are two Cam-Profiles (on one Cam-Part) and two Cam-Followers (on one Follower-Part) - to give a Body-Closed Cam system -  the Contact-Force and Power will usually move from one Follower to the other and back-again, perhaps many times, throughout the machine-cycle.

In this circumstance, we use a Conjugate-Cam FB.

Then, after you edit it to select the 2D-Cams, you can select the Conjugate-Cam as the Motor-Element in the Configure-Power Source dialog-box,

2D-Cam: Elements, Parameters, Analysis, Coordinates

1.Add a 2D-Cam - see Add 2D-Cam

IF the new 2D-Cam is will be a Conjugate-Cam (Body-Closed Cam) then

1.a. Add Conjugate-Cam FB - see below

1.b. Edit the Conjugate-Cam FB to add at least two 2D-Cams - see Conjugate-Cam dialog-box.

Then:

2.Select the 2D-Cam (or Conjugate-Cam FB)  as the Power Source for the Cam-Follower - see Configure-Power Source

Then

3.Review the 2D-Cam's Display, Properties, Cam-Life, and Roller-Life ... - see 2D-Cam dialog-box

Then:

4.Add a Cam-Data FB - see Add Cam-Data FB

5.Select a 2D-Cam to link it to the Cam-Data FB - see Link the Cam-Data FB to a 2D-Cam

Then:

6.Analyze 5 different parameters for the 2D-Cam - see below

7.Calculate the Cam-Coordinates - see Cam-Coordinates dialog

Preparation

MD-FB-ADDCONJUGATECAM-01

Preparation: The elements in the model before we do Add Conjugate-Cam FB:

•Two(2) 2D-Cams on one Part. E.g. a Rocker/Crank

•Two(2) or more Follower* on one(1) different Part. E.g. a Rocker

The 2D-Cams must display only the Inner or the Outer cam-profiles.

See 2D-Cam dialog-box

* Rollers and/or Flat-Faced Followers.

See also Shape of the Cam-Follower.

Add Conjugate Cam FB

MD-FB-ADDCONJUGATECAM-02

STEP 1:Add the Conjugate-Cam FB

MD-Icon-AddConjugateCamFB

1.Mechanism-Editor: Add menu > Mechanism menu  > Add Conjugate-Cam FB

- or -

1.Mechanism-Editor: Machine-elements toolbar > Add Conjugate-Cam FB

The Conjugate-Cam-FB is now in the graphic-area.

 

Edit Conjugate Cam FB

MD-FB-ADDCONJUGATECAM-03

STEP 1:Edit the Conjugate-Cam FB

MD-Icon-AddConjugateCamFB

1.Double-click the Conjugate-Cam FB in the graphic-area

or

1.See How to open a Dialog-Box

The Conjugate-Cam dialog-box is now open.

STEP 2:See Conjugate-Cam dialog-box