Preamble:

Four(4) Cam Faces

We specify for you 3D-Cams with four(4) surfaces. The four (4) surfaces are the:

•Cam-Flanks: in contact with the Follower-Roller

•Root: the floor of the cam. It should be deeper into the cam than Follower-Roller

•Top: you do not need this face in the actual cam. We add it to close the 3D-Cam in the model

Rims and Points

Rims: are along the total length of each surface. There are a number of Rims across each surface that run approximately parallel with each other.

Points: we control each Rim with the XYZ points that we calculate for you.

You specify the number of Rims and the number of Points in the Cam Mesh Density separator.

# Points per Rims:

The number of Points along each Rim

# Rims per Flanks:  

The number of Rims across each flank (working surface) of the 3D-Cam.

# Rims per Top & Root:

The number of Rims across the Root and Top faces (non-working surface) of the 3D-Cam.

# Hoops (for CAD)

The number of Hoops that wrap around the 3D-Cam and connect the same Point along each Rim. We use Hoops to help SolidWorks model the surfaces.

Preamble:

These parameters are for Tapered Follower-Rollers.

 [ Linear Velocity () = Radius( )  × Angular Velocity () ]

Cam Flank Velocity: different points on the cam-flank surface are at different radii from the cam's rotational axis.

Therefore, a point that is at a large radius from the Cam's rotational-axis has a greater velocity than a point that is at a small radius.

Cylindrical Follower Velocity: the surface of a cylindrical follower bearing are at equal radii from its own rotational-axis. Therefore, the tangential velocities of all points on the surface of a rotating cylindrical roller are identical.

The velocity of the cam's surface and the follower's surface can only be the equal at one contact radius from the center of the Cam. The follower must be skidding at all other points!

Tapered Follower Velocity: the surface velocity of a tapered-roller increases as its radius increases. If its apex is coincident with the rotational-axis of the cam, it can have a surface speed that is equal to the surface speed of the cam. Thus, it can roll on the cam surface as the cam rotates. This is be possible only during the dwell periods.

Nevertheless, cylindrical or barrel rollers are most often used as they are readily available, cheap, and they can withstand high loads.

The Roller Diameter of a Tapered Roller?

First, review the Extrusion-Offset and Extrusion-Depth parameters that define the Profile Extrusion of the Follower-Roller.

Use the Extrusion dialog to make the Extrusion-Depth parameter equal to the Width (or Length) of the Follower-Roller (Frequently, the 'B' parameter in bearing catalogs).

Extrusion dialog: (Note: Part-Offset parameter = 0 mm).

Extrusion-Offset (mm): Position (Z-axis) to the Primary-Contour from the Mechanism-Plane

Extrusion-Depth (mm): = Dimension between the Primary and Secondary -Contours. ONLY a positive value

Note: In image to the left, +Z-axis direction is down

Taper-Angle of the Follower-Roller.

Taper-Angle (degrees) inclines the Flanks of the 3D-Cam. The taper angle pivots about the Secondary-Contour.

This is not as convenient as the Primary-Contour, for which we apologize.

With reference to the image to the left, you can see that a:

•Negative Taper Angle (shown in image): the diameter of the Roller decreases in the +Z-axis direction.

•Positive Taper Angle : the diameter of the Roller increases in the +Z-axis direction.

Z Offset for Debug - ignore.

Recommendation , if you want to use the Taper-Roller parameter:

Assume the Mechanism-Plane of the Follower-Roller is half (mid-)way through the width of the Follower-Profile. It if is not, then change the dimension below to suit your model.

STEP 1

Edit the Follower-Profile (Extrusion) with the Extrusion dialog

The Extrusion-Offset should be the negative of the Extrusion-Depth.

Extrusion-Depth(mm) = Actual Roller Width(mm) (Equal to dimension C in SKF catalog

Extrusion-Offset (mm) = – Extrusion-Depth(mm) (Equal to negative of dimension – C in SKF catalog.

The Secondary Profile is now on the Mechanism-Plane. The Taper-Angle parameter rotates and pivots on the Mechanism-Plane.

STEP 2:

Use the Roller Clearances separator (see below ) to edit the Root-Clearance and Top-Clearance to extend the flanks as you need for the actual roller and 3D-Cam

Preamble:

There must be a small clearance for a Follower-Roller to roll between the Cam's flanks.

Also, you must make sure the Follower-Roller does not touch the Root/Floor of the Cam-Blank.

Thus, Clearances are practical considerations.

To calculate the basic 3D-Cam (without Roller Clearances), we use for you the:

•Radial dimension of the Circle that represents the Follower-Roller.

•Extrusion-Depth of the Extrusion you add to the Circle as the depth of the Cam-Flanks

•Part-Offset + Extrusion-Offset of the Extrusion from the Mechanism-Plane to locate the Cam-Flanks.

You should use the actual dimensions of the Follower-Roller, and use Roller Clearances to give the clearances you need.

Radial-Clearance (mm)

Important: Total Clearance = 2 × Radial Clearance.

A positive Radial Clearance moves the cam-flanks out, from the Follower-Roller.

A negative Radial Clearance moves the cam-flanks in, towards the Follower-Roller.

Root-Clearance

A positive value that moves the Root-Face towards the center of the Cam -see Note.

Add Root-Clearance to make sure the Follower-Roller does not touch the actual Root (the floor) of the cam-groove/track.

Top-Clearance

A positive value that moves the Top-Face away from the center of the Cam - see Note.

Add Top-Clearance to make sure the top-face of the model is outside the Cam-Blank

Note:

The Top-Face may be the Root-Face of the Cam - vice-versa!

To find which is which, Experiment! Enter a value for the Root-Clearance and click the Rebuild button. Observer in the model which face moves.

Preamble:

Flank Length parameters apply to Indexing Cams.

When you add a 3D-Cam, we calculate for you the cam over a complete machine-cycle, 0 – 360. However, Follower-Rollers of indexing cams are not in contact with the cam for a complete machine-cycle, 0 – 360. The Follower-Rollers progressively engage, then disengage with the cam, in a similar way to gear teeth.

You use the parameters in the Flank-Length separator to calculate the cam for the period in which the Follower-Roller is engaged with the cam.

Flank-Length:

Start-Angle

End-Angle

These angles are with respect to the Master-Machine-Angle.

When you edit the Start-Angle and End Angle, we re-calculate for you the Cam from the Start-Angle to the End-Angle.

The number-of-points along the cam do not change. Thus, the points along each rim become nearer to each other.

Preamble:

After you export a 3D-Cam to SolidWorks, it is often useful to copy the path and file-name of the SolidWorks document into this dialog. Then, later, you can use this dialog to find the document, and open it again.

Get Cad Part Path button

Copy the path and file-name of the SOLIDWORKS document into the Path of SLDPRT (Cam) box.

Open Cam Part button

Open in SOLIDWORKS the SOLIDWORKS document that is in the Path of SLDPRT ( Cam ) box

Note: From MD13.2, it is much easier to save the 3D-Cam to a STEP file with the Save button.

Preamble:

We recommend you use save the 3D-Cam as a STEP file - See Rebuild and Save buttons

Alternatively, you can use these buttons to transfer the Cam-Blank, and the 3D-Cam to SOLIDWORKS.

Before you click these buttons:

1.Open SolidWorks

2.Add a new SOLIDWORKS Part and make it the active document.

Transfer Cam Blank button

•We export for you the sketch of the Cam-Blank and its Axis-of-Rotation to SolidWorks.

•We instruct SolidWorks to add a revolved feature with the Cam-Blank and Axis-of-Rotation.

Note: Usually, the sketch of the Cam-Blank is symmetrical about a perpendicular line from the Cam axis and the Follower axis, middle. If the sketch is not symmetrical, then it is possible that SolidWorks mirrors the sketch to the 3D-Cam. To mirror the Cam-Blank: (in SolidWorks), mirror the sketch about the Y–axis and then the X–axis.

Transfer 3D-Cam button

•We export for you each Rim and Hoop

•We instruct SolidWorks to:

oCreate a surface from the Rims of the two Cam-Flanks, and the Top and Root faces

oIf the cam is an Indexing-Cam we add end-cap surfaces

oKnit the surfaces together with the Knit-surfaces feature

Cut 3D-Cam into Cam-Blank button

•We instruct SolidWorks to:

oCut the Knit-surfaces feature from the Cam Blank revolved feature.

oHide the Knit-surfaces feature.

Note: You may need to edit the Surface Cut feature to reverse the direction of the cut.