"INTRODUCTION This Data Item describes the use of ESDUpac A0015 which provides a computer program for analysing a disc cam/follower system. The program allows the following tribological aspects to be examined. ? The surface and sub-surface stresses at the contact between the cam and follower. ? The lubricant film thickness generated between the cam and follower. ? The transient temperature rise (""flash"" temperature) in the contact between the cam and follower. ? The driving torque and power loss of the cam. ? The life of a rolling element bearing follower. The program determines the contact loads@ with or without friction@ in the operating cam/follower system and then determines the instantaneous contact dimensions@ gross deflection (normal closure) and contact stresses. The program locates the critical stress points with respect to three criteria involving yield failure@ brittle failure and fatigue failure. Where a Newtonian liquid lubricant is present@ the program can be used to predict the film thickness of the lubricant entrained into the contact. Computation of this lubricant film thickness includes an allowance for squeeze film effects at the points in the cam cycle where the entrainment velocity reverses. Six types of cam follower are considered including both translating and swinging versions of flat-faced@ domed@ and roller followers. Also@ follower motions involving any number of blended cam law portions can be analysed. The cam law of each portion can be selected from a supplied database of cam law expressions or can be specified by the user. The follower load@ arising from spring closure or a process load@ can similarly be selected from a database or be specified by the user. Computer parameters of interest can be logged over a full@ or partial@ cycle of cam rotation and the values recorded in a file suitable for plotting. Alternatively@ a single instantaneous point in the cycle can be examined in more detail and stress distribution contours@ for example@ examined. This Data Item documents the specification of input data for the program and describes the various output data that can be obtained. Guidance on interpretation of the output data is given in further Data Items devoted to specific tribological aspects. Guidance on@ and methods for@ the design of cams can be found in the ESDU Mechanisms Series (see Section 11). ESDUpac A0015 allows the direct import of motion data from many of the Mechanisms Series computer programs (see Section 4.2)."
ESDU 00015 A-2010 history
2010ESDU 00015 A-2010 Disc cams: tribological analysis using computer program A0015