Page 574 - Cam Design Handbook

THBAP 9/19/03 7:29 PM Page 562

562 CAM DESIGN HANDBOOK

RAD1: radius of curvature 1
RAD2: radius of curvature 2
F. Y. Chen, “Mechanics and Design of Cam Mechanisms,” Pergamon Press, New York
1982, appendix: Fortran listed programs of foregoing
CAM DESIGNER SE, Delta Engineering Corporation, www.delta-eng.com: Design and
fabricate plate and barrel cams with translating, oscillating, and indexing up to 40th
order polynomial; presents geometric properties, CNC file for most machines.

Chapter 7, Geometry of Planar Cam Profiles
The synthesis and design of cam mechanisms can be eased by using the capabilities offered
by CAD packages. Extensive CAD software is commercially available, and new packages
and new features appear every year. Among these features, we can mention the plotting
of functions, the rotation and translation of planar rigid figures, and the determination of
intersections of lines, curves, and surfaces. This is important, since to start the design
process, we assume that the displacement program of the follower is given as a smooth,
explicit function of the input variable so that its derivative is available.
If only a discrete set of points is specified for the functions needed in the synthesis pro-
cedures, an interpolation is needed. This can be implemented by using software packages
as well.
Two representative commercial packages are:
AUTOCAD
Comprehensive package for mechanical design and geometric analysis. Runs mostly
on Windows. Old versions run also on Unix. Vendor: Autodesk, Inc. Web site is:
http://infoautodesk.com/
VERSACAD
Basically, this is production-level CAD software. However, the 3DJoy module is a
modeler that offers high-powered spline-based modeling. Also, the Rhino module can
create, edit, analyze, and translate NURBS, surfaces, and solids. Runs on Windows.
Vendor: Archway Systems, Inc. Web site is: http://www.versacad.com/
Other pertinent CAD software packages have more advanced features in terms of solid
modeling, assembly, and motion animation, e.g.:
PRO/ENGINEER
Comprehensive package for mechanical design and analysis at large. Its
PRO/MECHANICA module provides motion analysis, simulation, and animation of
fairly complex mechanisms. Runs on Windows and Unix. Vendor: Parametric Tech-
nology, Inc. Web site is: http://www.ptc.com/
CATIA
This software package has advanced features that can be used for creating and modi-
fying freeform surfaces, complex solids, parametric modifications, and the use of solids
in a multimodel environment. Vendor: TBM Technologies. Web site is:
http://www.catia.com/
UNIGRAPHICS
High-end, comprehensive package with modules for finite-element analysis,
CAD/CAM, and so on. It features ADAMS, a general tool for mechanism and
multibody-system analysis. No synthesis features are supported. Vendor: Unigraphics
Solutions. Web site is: http://www.openitx.com/