Cam-Data FB > Cam-Coordinates
See Add Cam-Data FB
Use a Cam-Data FB to
Calculate the Coordinates of the Inner, Outer, and Pitch-Line of the Cam-Profile. •Calculate the Cam-Profile as XY-Points •Calculate the Cam-Profile as as BiArcs •Export the Cam-Profile directly to SolidWorks •Save the Cam-Profile as STP (STEP), TXT, DXF, and SLDCRV file-types Before you save the Cam as a STP file, you can define the: •Plate Diameter, Plate Thickness, Bore Hole Diameter, and, if the Cam is a Groove-Cam, the Depth of the Cam-Profile |
2D-Cam: Work-flow
1.Add a 2D-Cam - see Machine elements toolbar > Add 2D-Cam If the new 2D-Cam is one from a pair of Conjugate-Cams, or it is one flank of a Groove-Cam 1.a. Add a Conjugate-Cam FB - see Machine elements toolbar > Add Conjugate Cam FB 1.b. Edit the Conjugate-Cam FB to select least two 2D-Cams - see Conjugate-Cam dialog. 2.Select a 2D-Cam or a Conjugate-Cam FB as the Power Source for the Follower - see Configure-Power Source 3.Review the 2D-Cam : Display, Properties, Roller-Life, Cam-Life, ... - see 2D-Cam dialog 4.Add a Cam-Data FB - see Kinematic FBs > Add Cam-Data FB 5.Edit the Cam-Data FB to link it to the 2D-Cam- - see Cam-Data dialog : Cam Analysis 6.Connect wires from the Cam-Data FB to a Graph FB to analyze 5 parameters - see Cam-Data dialog : Cam Analysis 7.Edit the Cam-Data FB again to calculate the Cam's Coordinates - see Cam-Data dialog : Cam-Coordinates |
Cam-Data dialog: Cam-Coordinates
If necessary, link the Cam-Data FB with a 2D-Cam - see Cam-Analysis |
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 Click icon
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Clear ALL Data from the Table |
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Save Cam-Coordinate data as: •STP(STEP)- XY Points •DXF •CSV (Comma Separated Values) - Header, then # Data-Point, X-data, Y-data, Z-data as 0.0 •TXT - Header, then # Data-Point, X-data, Y-data, Z-data as 0.0 •SLDCRV (SOLIDWORKS Curve file, tab delimited ) - XY Points only , X-data, Y-data, Z-data as 0.0 Note: If this icon is not enabled, then make sure the Plate-Radius parameter is larger than the Maximum Radius of the Outer Cam. See STEP File Options. |
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Copy Coordinates to your Clipboard |
If Cam Option |
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- Inner Cam-Profile - Outer Cam-Profile - Pitch-Curve ( XY-Points only ) |
Toggle how to calculate the Cam: |
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XY-Points - Calculate Cam with X-Y Coordinates Enter the Number-of-Points ( # Points ) Use Calculate the 2D-Cam at equal increments of the Master Machine Angle. |
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BiArcs - Calculate Cam with BiArcs with a maximum Chordal Error (see BiArcs) Enter the maximum Chordal-Error as BiArc Error The number of BiArcs is a function of the Bi-Arc Error and the shape of the Cam-Profile. |
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Before you click this button, make sure that SOLIDWORKS is open and the active document is a part document (SLDPRT). BiArcs are sent to SOLIDWORKS as Arc sketch entities. XY-Points are sent to SOLIDWORKS as a list for the SOLIDWORKS Curve feature. Use Convert-Entities in SOLIDWORKS to convert the Curve to a Spline sketch entity. See also Note 4 |
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We calculate for you the XY Points automatically We calculate for you the Bi-Arcs automatically, but it takes more time to complete. If the Traffic-Light remains RED, click the Traffic-Light icon again. |
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Display a preview of the Cam-Profile. |
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Read-only - the Cam is Open or it is Closed |
to switch between XY-Points and BiArcs.
to toggle between the 
- End Caps
End Caps relate only to Slot-Cams, also known as Linear-Cams, or Ramp-Cams. |
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 End-Caps - Show |
Show or Hide End-Caps |
End-Caps work well when the independent axis to the Follower moves in one direction only - see image “End-Caps - Show” If the independent axis reverses its direction in the middle of its travel, you see False End-Caps in the middle of the Slot-Cam. - see image: “Slot-Cam with 'False' End-Caps”. Before you export Cam-Coordinates we recommend you add a dummy slot-cam - and move the main axis of the Slot-Cam in one direction at Constant-Velocity, over one machine-cycle. To make sure the Constant-Velocity is correct: 1.Connect a wire from a Linear-Motion-FB to a Gearing FB 2.In the Gearing FB, enter a Gearing Ratio = maximum Travel distance of Cam/360). 3.Connect a wire from the Gearing FB to the Motion-Dimension FB as the motion of the Slot-Cam. As the MMA increases from 0 to 360, the Cam travels from 0 to Maximum Travel distance of Cam (mm). |
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 Slot-Cam with 'False' End-Cams |
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 End-Caps - Hide |
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- Cam Status
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The cam-coordinates have been calculated. The Radius-of-Curvature is greater than the Cam ROC Soft-Limit parameter as set in the 2D-Cam dialog |
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The cam-coordinates have not been calculated - usually after you edit the # Points or the BiArc Error. |
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It is not possible to calculate the cam-coordinates correctly, possibly because of under-cutting. |
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The cam-coordinates have been calculated. The Cam's Radius-of-Curvature is less than Cam ROC Soft-Limit as set in the 2D-Cam dialog - Undercutting is possible. |
- Cam Options
Calculate, Display, and/or Save the Cam-Coordinates: |
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•Inner Cam-Profile ONLY |
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•Outer Cam-Profile ONLY |
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•Groove-Cam If you select Groove-Cam option, AND if you toggle |
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•Negative-Groove The Negative-Groove option applies only when you want to save the Cam as a STEP file-type - see The STEP file is the space filled by the path of the Follower-Roller along the Cam-Profile (plus or minus any Radial Clearance). |
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- Radial-Clearance
 Example Radial-Clearance  Cam with 0.2mm Radial Clearance |
See also : 2D-Cam dialog > Parameters tab > Cam Range and Radius Radial Clearance (mm) Default = 0 , Negative or Positive Positive Value - we re-calculate the cam for you to give a clearance between the Follower-Profile and the Cam-Profile. AND: Negative Value - we re-calculate the cam for you to give a interference between the Follower-Profile and the Cam-Profile. |
Applications: Groove-Cam - add clearance (Positive Value) for a Follower-Roller in a Groove cam-type (See Note ) Conjugate-Cam - to add a small clearance (Positive Value) to compensate for tolerances in the cam assembly. Rough-Cut - to oversize an Inner-Cam or undersize an Outer-Cam for a Rough-cut. Radial-Clearance should be a Negative-Value Note: Stud-type Follower-Rollers often have a large negative tolerance bias - for example, . You may consider that to be enough clearance. |
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- Cam-Coordinates
 Max Chord-Error with BiArcs |
Apply this maximum Chord-Error between the Cam-Profile and the BiArcs. |
 Number of XY Points |
Calculate these number of Points for the Cam-Profile at equal increments of the Master-Machine Angle. |
Options for: Save as .STEP file-type
When you save the Cam as a STP (STEP) file, you can use these parameters.  |
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Dimensions for STEP file ONLY
These images are of a Groove cam-type that are saved as the STEP file-type, and then opened in SolidWorks to show the features.
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The total depth of the Cam-Plate. |
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The depth of the Cam cut into the Cam-Plate. The width of the Cam-Flanks. Minimum Plate-Depth – Cam-Depth ≥ 2 mm |
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The radius of the Cam-Plate, when you select an Outer or a Groove-Cam |
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The radius of the hole through the center of the Cam-Plate |
Schematics of Cam type and are the Dimensions OK or Not-OK?
Status of Cam Type, Blank-Radius and Bore-Radius relative to Cam-SizeThe Plate-Radius The Bore-Radius |
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You can save the STEP file. |
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You can NOT save the STEP file. |
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You can NOT save the STEP file. |
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You can save the STEP file. |
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Minimum/Maximum Radius of Cams, Offset X and Offset Y.
Minimum of Inner-Cam and Maximum of Outer-Cam (see also  These value are useful to know when you want to make sure there is a minimum difference between the: •Bore-Radius and the minimum radius of the Inner Cam. •Plate-Radius diameter and the maximum radius of the Outer Cam. X-Offset and Y Offset When the Cam is stationary, enter an X-Offset and Y-Offset to move the center of the Cam-Plate relative the 0,0 of the Mechanism-Plane / Base-Part.
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Notes: