Computer-assisted synthesis of wrapping cam mechanisms

Abstract

A wrapping cam mechanism consists of a cam wrapped by a belt or flexible band. An analytical method for synthesizing wrapping cam mechanisms has recently been developed. This thesis extends the previous work and describes the development of an interactive wrapping cam synthesis package based on analytical methods. The software presented in this thesis generates cam profiles for eight configurations of wrapping cam-pulley or wrapping cam-sprocket mechanisms. This software package has a graphical user interface to give intuitive interactions. The modularity of the software package increases the flexibility for future program extension. This thesis also discusses the extended synthesis methods for a wrapping cam-link mechanism.