Contact — Cam Follower Kinematic Lift & Hertz Contact Stress

Eccentric cam mechanism with roller follower: kinematic stroke/lift s(phi) verification and Hertz contact stress on cylinder-on-cylinder cam profile.

Tolerance:

5%

Problem statement

Geometry

2-body assembly: eccentric circular cam (R_cam=28 mm, eccentricity e=4 mm, width b=12 mm, bore R=10 mm) and guided roller follower (R_roller=18 mm, width b=12 mm). At peak crest orientation (phi=180 deg), maximum kinematic lift s_max = 2*e = 8.0 mm. Contact between cylinders R1=28 mm and R2=18 mm (equivalent curvature… show full text

2-body assembly: eccentric circular cam (R_cam=28 mm, eccentricity e=4 mm, width b=12 mm, bore R=10 mm) and guided roller follower (R_roller=18 mm, width b=12 mm). At peak crest orientation (phi=180 deg), maximum kinematic lift s_max = 2*e = 8.0 mm. Contact between cylinders R1=28 mm and R2=18 mm (equivalent curvature radius R* = 10.957 mm). Follower preloaded by top pressure 45 MPa (total force F = 13746.2 N, line load w = 1145.51 N/mm).

Material

Cam and follower: 100Cr6 / AISI 52100 bearing steel (E=210 GPa, nu=0.29, equivalent modulus E* = 114641 MPa). Unilateral frictionless Mortar contact.

Boundary conditions

Fix cam bore (surface number 3). Axial retention on cam back (surface number 4 component=z). Follower lateral slider guides (surface number 16, 19 component=x). Follower axial retention (surface number 20 component=z). Follower top load pressure 45 MPa on surface number 17.

Measured quantity

Kinematic lift stroke s_max = 8.0 mm (theoretical cam throw 2*e, deviation <= 5%); Hertz contact half-width b = 0.3733 mm and peak theoretical contact pressure p0 = 1953.6 MPa (FEA contact pressure peak aligns within contact zone, deviation <= 5%).

WebCAE Terminal

units mm
material E=210000000000 nu=0.29 density=7850
import path="cam_follower_contact_body1.step" format=step
material E=210000000000 nu=0.29 density=7850
import path="cam_follower_contact_body2.step" format=step
contact frictionless
mesh tet size=2.2 order=2 bonding=0
fix surface number 3
fix surface number 4 component=z
fix surface number 16 component=x
fix surface number 19 component=x
fix surface number 20 component=z
load surface number 17 pressure=45e6
solve
minmax displacement_magnitude

Results comparison

Updated: 2026-10-19 · WebCAE solver