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

To link a Cam-Data FB to a 2D-Cam, you must open the Cam-Data dialog:

The Cam-Data dialog is now open - see below

Selected 2D-Cam is box: is  Light Blue  - a 2D-Cam has not been selected.

The 2D-Cam is now in the Selected 2D-Cam box - see image below.

The caption above the Cam-Data FB is the name of the element: Cam-Data FB. - See rename

The caption above the name, is the name of the 2D-Cam that has a link with the Cam-Data FB.

TOP-TIP: When there is more than one 2D-Cam in the Mechanism-Editor:

1.Edit the color of the 2D-Cam  - see 2D-Cam dialog : Display tab > Display Options 

2.Rename the 2D-Cam element to its color - see Rename dialog

Now, it is easier to see which 2D-Cam is linked to the Cam-Data FB.

You can now :

•Analyze 5 Cam parameters - see Cam-Analysis Parameters.

•Calculate the Cam's Coordinates - see Cam-Coordinates dialog

The five output-connectors from the Cam-Data FB provide:

•F   :  Contact Force : See Note 1

•Ԏ  :  Contact Maximum Shear Stress : See Note 2

•ρ  :  Radius-of-Curvature : See Note 3

•μ  :  Pressure Angle : See Note 4

•Ue : Sliding Velocity - see Note 5

Drag wires from the output-connectors of the Cam-Data FB to a Graph FB, a Math FB or a Statistics FB

Make sure you select the correct cam (Inner, Outer, Pitch-Center Path) in the Y–axis display option of the Graph FB interface.

Top-Tip:

Connect the same output-connector and parameter (for example, Pressure-Angle) from different Cam-Data FBs to the same Graph FB. Then you can analyse the same parameter for up to 4 × 2D-Cams in one graph plot.

Set the Minimum and Maximum Values to be the same for all graphs. Then it is even easier to compare the same parameter for each 2D-Cam.

Note 1:

Make sure to do Configure the Power Source.

If Contact-Force is 0.0N in the Graph FB, and the Configure Power Source is correct, change the Cam from Inner to Outer, or vice versa, in the Graph FB > Y-axis Options.

Note 2:

Make sure to do Configure the Power Source.

If Shear-Stress is 0.0Nm-2 in the Graph FB, and the Configure Power Source is correct, change the Cam from Inner to Outer, or vice versa, in the Graph FB > Y-axis Options.

The Maximum Shear Stress is not on the surface of the Cam - it is a little below its surface. The Maximum Shear Stress is a function of the material properties of the contacting bodies

Material Properties:

•Cam-Follower: ,

•Cam: taken from the Steel Selection in the  Cam-Life tab of the 2D-Cam dialog.

There calculations have assumptions. The most significant assumption is that friction is zero, and the bodies are perfectly smooth.

Note 3:

By convention, the Radius-of-Curvature (RoC) of a Roller is positive.

When the cam is convex relative to the Roller, the RoC of the cam is positive.

When the cam is concave relative to the Roller, the RoC of the cam is negative.

Radius-of-Curvature of the Pitch-Curve is not available. If you need to know the Radius-of-Curvature of the Pitch-Curve, export the Radius-of-Curvature of the Inner and Outer cams to Excel, and calculate their average.

Note 4:

The Pressure Angle is through the center of the Cam-Follower. There are two other Pressure Angles available: the Contact Pressure Angle of the Inner and Outer Cams - these are labeled as Inside Cont. PR, Ang. in the Graph FB > Y-axis display options.

These should be used with a Flat-Faced Follower only.

We cannot calculate for you the Pressure Angle for a Stationary Cam.

Note 5:

Use Sliding-Velocity to calculate the Film Thickness of the lubricating oil between the Cam-Follower and Cam. If you know the surface finish of the cam and cam-follower, then you can also calculate the Film Thickness Ratio, . This is an important parameter to calculate as it strongly influences the life of the cam. A Film Thickness Ratio of less than 1 means that metal asperities of the Cam-Follower and Cam contact each other, and wear occurs.  

Sliding Velocity = (Velocity of Cam Surface - Velocity of Cam-Follower Surface)

Entrainment Velocity = (Velocity of Cam Surface + Velocity of Cam-Follower Surface) ÷ 2

Slip-Slide-Ratio = Sliding-Velocity ÷ Entrainment Velocity