The configuration of Cam Visibilities is a function of whether you enable or disable Show Roller and Cam Lifetimes.

Cam Visibility: Disable Show Roller and Cam Lifetimes

Cam-Profiles, Pitch-Center, Radius-of-Curvature Select : ◉ Inner  - Inside /  Internal cam-profile only ◉ Outer - Outside / External cam-profile only ◉ Groove - the Inner and Outer cam profiles ◉ Pitch-Centre - the path of the center-point of a Roller cam-follower bearing relative to the cam. Also, you can enable: ❑ Pitch-Centre - enable to show the path of the centre-point of the Cam-Follower (Roller) relative to the cam. ❑ Show Radius-of-Curvature - enable to show Radius-of-Curvature at the contact-point of the Cam-Profile and the Follower.

Cam Visibility: Enable Show Roller and Cam Lifetimes

Display Options: Life enabled Select: ◉ Inner  - Inside /  Internal cam-profile only ◉ Outer - Outside / External cam-profile only Also, you can enable: ❑ Pitch-Centre - enable to show the path of the centre-point of the Cam-Follower (Roller) relative to the cam. ❑ Show Radius-of-Curvature - enable to show Radius-of-Curvature at the contact-point of the Cam-Profile and the Follower.

Select one from:

* Configure the Power Source to calculate correctly.

See also: Cam-Data FB

Cam-Profile Line Thickness: (default =1)

Edit the thickness of the Cam-Profile in the graphic-area

Cam-Profile Color button

Click to edit the color of the Cam-Profile with the Windows® Color Picker. It is useful when there many Cam-Profiles in your model.

TOP-TIP - rename the 2D-Cam element to the color you select for the Cam-Profile.

Show Instant centers : For the kinemagicians!  

Show END-Caps

Without End-Caps

With End-Caps

This check-box shows only when MechDesigner detects an open-cam.

An open-cam is one in which the start and end of the Cam-Profile are not in the same place.

It is often possible, usually will Slot-Cam types, to close the Cam with arcs (End-Caps) that have Radii equal to that of the Roller.

◉ Cam Profile

Inner and Outer cams are continuous lines.

Pitch-Centre Path is a dashed line.

◉ Maximum Shear-Stress

Each point around the cam has a unique Maximum Shear-Stress

Maximum Shear Stress value next to the contact point

Color of the cam agrees with the color-bar

Color-bar indicates the scale of the Maximum Shear-Stress

Note: the Maximum Shear-Stress is actually below the surface, at approximately 0.78 × width of a Line-Contact.

The Maximum Shear-Stress is approximately = 0.3 × Maximum Contact (or Hertzian) Stress with Line-Contact.

◉ Contact Force

Contact Force is at the contact point.

Color of the Cam and Color-Bar agree with the Contact Force

◉ Pressure Angle

Pressure Angle is adjacent to the contact point

Color of the cam agrees with the color-bar

Color-bar as scale of the Pressure Angle

See also Pressure Angle