Face CAM - CAM groove machined into the face of a round CAM blank.

The face CAM is a disc the has a groove machined into its face and a roller follower is used to follow the groove as the CAM rotates. They operate a lever or other mechanism positively in both directions. The roller is guided by the sides of the slot.

Face CAMs

Face CAM

Radial CAM - CAM surface around the outer edge of a CAM blank.

Radial CAMs are shaped like a wheel. With radial CAMs, the follower moves in a radial direction, or away from the CAM's axis of rotation. CAMs are reliable, accurate, durable and quiet. With CAMs, engineers can carefully control the acceleration, velocity and displacement of rotary and linear indexers, pick-and-place devices, and assembly tools.

Radial CAMs

Linear CAM - Flat plate with a CAM surface or CAM groove machined into it.

The edge of the flat plate CAM can be shaped to give different vertical movements of the CAM follower. Flat plate CAMs or linear CAMs as they are often called are used frequently in machines which carry out the same repetitive movements. As the flat plate CAM profile moves to the left the follower drops down the slope and then eventually rises up at the other end. The flat plate CAM then reverses in the opposite direction and the follower drops and rises again.

Linear CAMs

Barrel CAM - Cylindrical shaped CAM with a CAM groove machine into the outer surface.

The drum or barrel CAM has a path cut around its outside edge in which the roller or follower fits. It imparts a to-and-from motion to a slide or lever in a plane parallel to the axis of the CAM. Normally composed of a cylinder which has a groove cut out of its surface and it is in this that the follower runs up and down. This type of cam can be seen in some old clock mechanisms and still in modern sewing machines. Machines that perform repetitive movements may use a cylinder CAM profile.

Barrel CAMs

Side CAM - A Barrel CAM with only one CAM surface instead of a CAM track.

Side CAM