A.
Create Up-and-Down Motion
A rotating cam can push another part up and down.
SIMPLE MACHINES
CAMS
A cam is a rotating part that makes another part move in a repeated pattern. A cam can be round, oval, or have an uneven shape. Its shape determines how the other part moves.
HOW CAMS WORK
As a cam rotates, its shape pushes against another part called a follower. The follower moves up, down, or back and forth as the cam turns. Each time the cam makes a complete turn, the follower repeats the same movement.
WHAT CAN CAMS DO
Three practical ways this concept changes movement, force or direction.
B.
Create Back-and-Forth Motion
Different cam shapes can make parts move in different ways.
C.
Create a Pattern
Cams can make a part repeat the same movement over and over.
EXPLORE
CAMS
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