* Installing Tutorial

Data Set Files

Download and unzip the desired zip files to the following location based
on your operating system:
Windows XP:
Extract the tutorial data set files to the location where Inventor was
installed.
The default location is C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Inventor
2014\.
Windows Win 7/Win 8:
Extract
the
tutorial
data
set
C:\Users\Public\Documents\Autodesk\Inventor 2014\.

files

to

Some files are duplicated within the zips. If prompted, select the option to overwrite
existing files during the unzipping process. After extracting the tutorial tutorial data set
files, double-click the tutorial_files.ipj file in the folder to launch Inventor and set the
tutorial files project current. The tutorial data set files are now accessible and ready for use.

Start the Generator

1.

2.

Set your active project to tutorial_files, and then open Disc

Cams and Compression Springs Cam_Spring.iam.

On the ribbon, click Design tab

Power Transmission panel

Cam
.
The Disc Cam Generator opens in the Design tab by default.

Disc

Note: To load the Disc Cam Component Generator with the default
installation data, press and hold the Ctrl key while clicking the Disc
Cam command.

Specify Disc Cam Placement

To insert a model of the disc cam into the assembly:
1.

Select Component from the drop-down menu in the Cam region

of the dialog box.
Note: If you select the No Model option from the drop-down list, the
program inserts only the calculation into the assembly.
2.
Click Cylindrical Face, and then select the cylindrical face.

3.

Click Start plane, and then select the start plane.

Set Segment Values

1.

In the Actual Segment region, select 1 from the drop-down

menu.

You can also select a segment by clicking the segment in the

graph.
o
You can set segment length by dragging the segment end in
the graph area.
o

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

From the Motion Function drop-down menu, select Double

Harmonic - Part 1.
Set Motion End Position to 90 degrees.
Set Lift at End to 5 mm.
In the Actual Segment region, select 2 from the drop-down
menu.
From the Motion Function drop-down menu, select Double
Harmonic - Part 2.
Set Motion End Position to 180 degrees.

Adding Segments
Though you do not add or delete segments in this tutorial, this page
describes how to do so.

Click Add After in the Actual Segment area to add a new

segment after the currently selected segment.
Click Add Before to add new segment before the currently
selected segment.
Click Delete to delete the currently selected segment.

The Zoom command switches on or off the zoom to the cam

element graphs only.

The Save graph data to file command saves all graph data
and data about cam profile and follower path to the tab-delimited text
file.

Create Your Own Motion File

The following page is not required to complete this tutorial.
The Disc Cam Generator offers a list of motions available within the
drop-down menu in the Actual Segment region. You can also define
your own type of motion, as well as remove any user-defined motion
from the menu.
Create and define a motion.
1.

Create a text file, and enter the following values for a Polynomial
motion of the third degree.
Note: You must format the text file properly. Click the Help command
on the Add Motion dialog box for more information.
0

0.1

0.028

0.2

0.104

0.3

0.216

0.4

0.352

0.5

0.5

0.6

0.648

0.7

0.784

0.8

0.896

0.9

0.972

2.
3.

Save the file.

In the Actual Segment region of the cam generator, click Add
new user motion.
4.
Enter a motion name.
5.
Browse to, and select, the .TXT file you created.
6.
Click OK to add your motion to the list of motions. Each user
motion appears with the icon.
Tip: To delete a user-defined motion, select the motion and then click
Delete.

Perform the Calculation

You use the Calculation tab to set values to perform calculation and
strength check.
1.
2.

Switch to the Calculation tab.

Select Cycle Time, and enter 1 s .

3.

In the Follower Loads region, enter 20 N for the Force on

Roller field.
4.
For Accelerated Weight, enter 0.010 kg .
5.
6.

For Spring Rating, enter 2 N/mm .

Enter these values for the Cam Material and Follower Material
fields.
o
For the Allowable Pressure field, enter 200 MPa .
o

For the Modulus of Elasticity field, enter 206700 MPa .

For the Poissons Ratio field, enter 0.3 ul .

7.
Click Calculate to perform the calculation.
The program shows the results on the right side of the Calculation tab.
The inputs that fail the calculation are displayed in red (their value does
not correspond with other inserted values or calculation criteria). Reports
of the calculation are displayed in the Summary of Messages area. It
displays when you click the chevron in the lower-right part of the
Calculation tab.
o

Tip: Click the

HTML report.

Results command in the right upper corner to open an

Click OK.

File Name Settings

In the File Naming dialog box:
1.

Specify the Display name of the disc cam and the File name
settings.
2.
Select the Always prompt for filename box to prompt for the
newly inserted Design Accelerator file name and display name of the
component every time you create a component.
3.
Click OK to insert the disc cam into the assembly.

Place Constraints
1.

On the ribbon, click Assemble tab

Position panel

Constrain

.
2.

In the Assembly tab of the Place Constraint dialog box, select the
Tangent
type to constrain the cam.

3.

Save the assembly. You use this assembly in the Compression

Springs tutorial.

Summary
In this tutorial, you used the Design Accelerator Disc Cam generator to
create and edit cams.

You learned how to:

Design a disc cam.

Position the disc cam within the assembly.
Set disc cam properties.
Add your own motion file.
Set the file name and display name for a newly inserted Design
Accelerator component.

Insert a disc cam into the assembly.

Refer to the Help for further information.

Disc Cam Generator dialog box - Design

tab
Sets parameters for the design of a disc cam.
Click Calculate to perform the calculation of geometric parameters.
Access:
Ribbon: Design tab

Cam
Specifies parameters of the cam. Use the pull-down menu to select
Component or No Model Option. If you select Component, the Cylindrical
Face and Start Plane commands are enabled. If you select No Model, the
commands are not available.
Component
No Model
Cylindrical Face
Start Plane
Preview

Follower
Specifies parameters of the follower.
Roller Radius
Roller Width
Eccentricity
Pivot Distance
Arm Length

Power Trans

Reaction Arm

Actual Segment
Specifies parameters of cam segments.
Actual Segment
Motion Function
Add Before
Delete
Add After

Graphic display of segments area

As you select a button on the toolbar, a corresponding quantity graph
displays in this area. To turn off the display of a graph, clear the
selection.
If you place the cursor above the graphs area, a tooltip displays with
graph values that correspond to units of the actual cursor position.
You can select the cam segment in an index in the combo box in the
Actual Segment area, or by click an appropriate position in the graph
area.
Zoom switches on/off the zoom to the cam element graphs only.
Save graph data to file saves all graph data and data about the
cam profile and follower path to the tab delimited text file. You can open
the saved data in the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, if desired. Following
columns are generated:

Cam position [deg]

Lift [mm]
Speed [mps]
Acceleration [m/s 2 ]
Pulse [m/s 3 ]
Pressure Angle [deg]
Follower Force [N]
Normal Force [N]
Torque [N m]
Radius of Curvature [mm]

Specific Pressure [MPa]

Profile angle [deg] - polar coordinates
Profile radius [mm]
Profile X coordinate [mm] - Cartesian coordinates
Profile Y coordinate [mm]
Follower path angle [deg] - polar coordinates
Follower path radius [mm]
Follower path X coordinate [mm] - Cartesian coordinates
Follower path Y coordinate [mm]

(More)
Displays additional options for cam design.
Number of Split Points
Gives an accurate, detailed cam calculation, export values (the
Calculation option), and part accuracy when inserting into Autodesk
Inventor (the Model option). The angle between drawn points is specified
by number of points on a circle (360 points means a 1 degree angle
distance of points).
Calculation
Model
Cam Direction

Path Type

Click to select the path type. The direction of the path type affects calculation and the Autodesk Inv
Inner
Outer
Both
Follower Type

Select the type of the follower.

Translating
Swinging Arm
Follower Shape
Select the shape of the follower.
Cylinder
Sphere

Results
To display the Results area on the right side of the Calculation and
Design tabs, double-click the double line on the right or click the
chevron.
The area displays the limiting values of calculated parameters, result of
strength check, and cam shape. Values are calculated when the
Calculate command is pressed.
Following output parameters are displayed on the Results pane:
Note: For further description of the calculated parameters, see
Engineer's Handbook.

Results
o
Max. Lift (h max )
o
Min. Lift (h min )
o
Max. Pressure Angle ( max )
o
Min. Pressure Angle ( min )
o
Max. Speed (v max )
o
Max. Acceleration (a max )
o
Min. Acceleration (a min )

Segment
o
Motion Start Position (l 0 )
o
Lift at Start (h 0 )
o
Max. Acceleration (a max )
o
Min. Acceleration (a min )
o
Max. Pulse (j max )
o
Min. Pulse (j min )
o
Max. Follower Force (F max )

o
o
o
o
o
o
o

Min. Follower Force (F min )

Max. Normal Force (Fn max )
Min. Normal Force (Fn min )
Max. Torque (T max )
Min. Curvature Radius (+) (Rc min )
Min. Curvature Radius (-) (Rc min2 )
Max. Specific Pressure (p max )