The configuration of the Cam Display options box is a function of whether you enable the lifetime calculations of the Cam and the Roller - see  Enable Lifetimes, Edit Safety-Factor  > Show Roller and Cam Lifetimes.

Cam Display Options: Roller and Cam Lifetimes NOT enabled

Cam-Profiles, Pitch-Center, Radius-of-Curvature Select one from: ◉ Inner  - Inside /  Internal cam-profile only ◉ Outer - Outside / External cam-profile only ◉ Groove - the Inner and Outer cam profiles - see also Show Roller and Cam-Lifetimes above. ◉ Pitch-Centre - the path of the center-point of the cam-follower relative to the cam. This applies to Roller Cam-Followers only.

Cam Display Options: Roller and Cam Lifetimes enabled

Display Options: Life enabled Select one from: ◉ Inner  - Inside /  Internal cam-profile only ◉ Outer - Outside / External cam-profile only

You can also display:

Select one from:

* Configure the Power Source to display 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 with 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! Experiment! Look for the Instant-Center of the Cam Follower relative to the Cam.

Show END-Caps

This parameter 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.

Without End-Caps

With End-Caps

◉ 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