Menu | Mechanism | Add 3D-Cam

Machine Elements Toolbar : Add 3D-Cam

Menu:

Add menu > Mechanism sub-menu > Add 3D-Cam

Pre-amble:

You must prepare 5 elements in 3 different Mechanism-Editors. for a Barrel type Cam, and 4 Mechanism-Editors for a Globoidal type cam. See Preparation

When you do Add 3D-Cam, you will see five selection-boxes in the Command-Manager.

The five element you must select are, from top to bottom:

To see the five elements, you must use Tools menu (or toolbar) > Show other Part-Outlines and Sketches

Result:

The 3D-Cam shows in the graphic-area.

See also:

Note:

The 3D-Cam has 4 surfaces, which enclose the space volume you must cut from the Cam-Blank. You can edit the density of the points that make up the 4 surfaces with the 3D-Cam dialog-box

Four Surfaces

Density of the Mesh

Use the 3D-Cam dialog-box to edit the number of rims and the number-of-points, to give the density of the mesh that defines the surfaces.

See Also:

3D-Cam dialog-box

We calculate a 3D-Cam from the relative movement of the elements. We model the elements in different Mechanism-Editors.

The 5 elements: Parts, Profiles and a Line are:

•	A Part in Mechanism 'B' : Cam-Follower

•	A Profile in Mechanism 'B' : Cam-Follower Roller

•	A Part in Mechanism 'A' :  the Cam Part

•	A Profile in Mechanism 'C': Cam-Blank

•	A Line [sketch] Axis in Mechanism 'C': the rotational axis of the Cam.

Before we can use the Add 3D Cam command, we must see the five elements we need to click to complete the command - see images below

We must add the 3D-Cam to the Mechanism-Editor with the 'Cam-Part' - usually a rotating-Part.

It is best to rename the Mechanism-Editors when you model on different Planes. See Rename dialog-box

The Command-Manager opens

It has five selection boxes.

You MUST click the elements in order, from top-to-bottom.

After you have selected the five elements :

STEP 6:

Click the in the Command-Manager

Part: Cam-Follower Part: Click the Grey Part-Outline of the Part

Profile: Cam-Follower Roller Profile: Click the Profile Contour (in Grey) for the Roller. [With 3D-Cams, the sketch for the Profile must be a circle]

Part: Cam Part: Click the Green Part-Outline in the active Mechanism-Editor

*Profile: Cam-Blank Profile*: Click the Grey Profile Contour

* Lines [sketch-element]: the axis-of-rotation of the Cam Blank: Click the Grey sketch-line

Notes on : Cam-Blank and Rotation-Axis

To transfer the 3D-Cam to SOLIDWORKS®, this sketch should be only:

•	a sketch-loop and Profile/Extrusion for the 'Cam-Blank'

•	a Line for the cam rotation axis.

Delete all other sketch-elements in the 'Barrel Blank' Part before you use transfer a Cam-Blank to SOLIDWORKS®. The shape does not need to replicate the cam-blank - but it helps.

MechDesigner draws the 3D-Cam as a 'tube'.

The 3D-Cam is the 'negative' of a 'solid' Cam.

Use the 3D-Cam dialog-box to edit its parameters, and export it to SolidWorks®, or save it as a STEP file.

If you export the cam to SOLIDWORKS, the complete cam is built as a solid part.

I find it more convenient to save the 3D-Cam as a STEP file and import it to SolidWorks.