Good Cam Design improves performance.

Good Cam Design needs Cam Analysis of:

• Motion Design
• Power Transmission

Motion Design

The purpose of a cam is to impart motion, usually non-linear, to a tool that repeatedly performs some action.

Good Motion Design is at the heart of good machine design

We believe at the heart of any well-designed machine, there will be good motion design.  That's why we have developed a very flexible, comprehensive motion design tool.  Without this tool, MechDesigner becomes just an extensive mechanism modeller.

We find machine and mechanism design without an inverse kinematic capability is difficult and time consuming.  In fact, that is one of the main reasons we developed Mechdesigner.

What is Inverse Kinematics?

MechDesigner has all the features to model complete machines and packaging.

MechDesigner uses "parts" that are joined together with pin, sliding or rod-end ball joints to build your mechanisms. Motions are then added to each mechanism to control the movement and timing. This is exactly as we think of machines. However, MechDesigner has another clever trick up its sleeve: you become a kinematic expert without even knowing it. You can even model the packaging.

Some mechanisms are very useful in packing machine simply because they move parts along a useful path.  We want to guide a pack along a path that avoids hitting packs that have already been erected in the previous cycle.  The pack must not hit the gripping tool. The pack must be rotated by 90 degrees and move along a path that avoids other objects.    This is known as a problem of planar guidance.

Conjugate Cams eliminate backlash and reduce overall cam stress

When a disk cam drives a mechanism, there must be some way to make sure the cam-follower remains on the cam. It is possible, with very slow speed machines, to use gravity. However, for open cams, a spring or air cylinder is needed.

Carton Erection modeling with parallelogram proportioned, four bar mechanisms

Sometimes pack forming processes like carton erection can be understood better if the panels of the carton can be modeled as a mechanism.  This is possible in MechDesigner.

This is useful because the order in which panels are opened is modeled and therefore defined and:

Cam designs often use conjugate cams for improved performance

While MechDesigner software is particularly suited to Packaging Machine design, it can also be used to design Camshafts for engines. We would normally recommend that you use specialist software for the design of engine camshaft because there are special requirements for valve timing cams.  Nevertheless, if you can specify your motion using our motion design software, then why not.