Exploring the Cam Mechanism: Questions & Answers

[Tung Jian Seng]

TL;DR Summary

I wanna know how to calculate to select the right motor for my cam mechanism

Hi guys, I'm a 2nd year mechanical engineering student here. I'm currently exploring the cam mechanism and I find it interesting. But when I see the videos, I have some questions that came up in my mind. Here is the illustration below..

This is a top view. In this case, the cam plate is mounted on a linear guide block, and the block is driven by the motor, when the motor rotates, the block will be moving forward and backward. So here are the questions below:

1. How should I know if my motor is suitable or not?
2. It would depend on the mass of the cam plate which is the load to the motor right?
3. Is it correct that when the motor is rotating, it actually doesn't have to withstand the load of the cam plate as it is already on a frictionless slider?
4. I think what matters to the motor is the inertia force caused by the mass of the cam plate and linear guide block, but how can I calculate it to select the right motor for my application?

I would really appreciate it if someone could help to clear my doubt
Thank you in advance!

 

[Baluncore]

Your drawing looks more like a scotch yoke than a cam.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotch_yoke

A cam usually has a disc with a variable radius.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cam

Does your motor run continuously?

 

[Lnewqban]

What is the usefulness of the mechanism if the only load on the motor is the sliding cam plate?
Normally, you need to alternately move something else, which is the main load.

 

[sophiecentaur]

The item labelled 'cam folower' could be a cam but how is it driven? Is there a bit off three dimensional sketching here. I agree, it looks more like a scotch yoke but put in the wrong place.

Has the OP seen actual images of working cam mechanisms? Google could be his / her friend here.