Spline Functions Applied to the Synthesis and Analysis of Nonrigid Cam-Follower Systems

A general, systematic procedure for the synthesis and analysis of cams is presented. The method accounts for the nonrigid behavior of the follower system and can be readily implemented as a computer aided design tool. It employs spline functions to interpolate motion constraints in the synthesis of output motion programs. It applies the spline collocation method for the solution of the differential equations in determining the cam profile and in analyzing the follower system response. The development presented is based on a single degree-of-freedom (DOF) follower model. It offers the advantage over other methods of greater generality yet requires only routine application procedures. An example is provided to illustrate the complete synthesis/analysis procedure. The results from the example are compared to those obtained using a conventional polynomial approach.