Designing a Cam using CAD and Excel: Memo Report

Design Method

Unlike your linkages project, the cams project is focused more on analytical work and less on report writing. Therefore, most of the work involves creating a cam in a CAD program of your choice, plus using excel to generate SVAJ diagrams and pitch curves of your cam. The writing is limited to a short memorandum (memo), in which you provide your rationale for designing your cam, figures of your pitch curves and SVAJ plots, and various other equations/calculations.  

1. Design your cam to meet your assigned program above using an appropriate function based on your desire to either minimize peak velocity   and/or acceleration, or to obtainthe smoothest jerk.

2. Create a solid model of the cam using a CAD package of your choice or MATLAB.  The cam should be dimensioned using inches!

3. Extract the x-y coordinates of your cam profile and save them in a csv file.

4. Create an MSExcel file that generates SJAV plots for your assigned cam program based on the given base circle, roller diameter and cam stroke, and your chosen function(s).

5. Insert your x-y coordinates from Step 3 into your MSExcel file, convert them into a pitch curve, and plot them along with the x-y coordinates generated by your function(s) using a scatter plot. Include the prime circle in the plot.

6. Write up your findings in a short memorandum.

1. Title page: Design Name, group member names, and section group number.

2. Introduction: Include a brief statement of design objective method used to achieve objective (function chosen, CAD software used), and results.

3. Design method: 
a. Specify the function(s) your group used and explain why. 
b. Show the required steps to arrive at your specific SVAJ equation(s), using the built-in equation editor in MSWord. As a minimum, include: 
i. SCCA functions: show calculations for finding the peak factors CA, CV and CJ  
ii.Polynomial function: include list of boundary conditions used, calculations of coefficients of your chosen function(s), plus derivations of V, A, and J equations from the original S equation 
iii. Double-harmonic: derive V, A, and J equations from the S equation

4. Design results: 
a. Show the mathematical expressions (SVAJ equations) of your chosen function(s).
b. Show your SVAJ diagrams generated in MSExcel (all four in one figure). 
c. Show the x-y scatter plots of the corresponding pitch curves and prime circle (in the same figure). Do the scatter plots overlap? Does the prime circle fit as expected within the pitch curves? If not, why not? 

d. Show an image of your solid model of the cam created in the CAD program.

5. Conclusion: briefly summarize your report by declaring whether you were able to design a   cam that met the assigned cam profile using both CAD software and with MSExcel.

6. Reference list ± please list all sources, if any. 
 
Quality and formatting of the memo are equally important. Your memo should be well-written,error-free, and standardized so that it reads as a single, integrated finished product. Missing content will reduce your score, so be sure to include all the sections in the order listed above. Whenever you reference any data, use any graph or photo from on-line or the textbook, you must cite your reference appropriately, and include it in the reference list.  
 
Required memo formatting: Times New Roman; 12 font; double-spaced; 1-inch margins both sides, top and bottom of page. Figure captions go below figures, and table captions go above tables. Page numbers (in footer) are required. All the mathematical symbols should be clearly defined and explained. All the plots and diagrams should include axis names, units, and titles. Use default APA reference format in MSWord if needed. There is no length requirement, as long as the memo includes all the information requested above.Required spreadsheet formatting: all columns require a header, units should be indicated, and data should be presented in a neat, logical order. Calculate SVAJ of follower for every 5 degrees of cam rotation. 
 
Due date, turn in process, file name convention: This assignment is due by 11:59 pm on Monday, Dec 6th. Your group must turn in your memo and spreadsheet via the assignment in Blackboard²emailed files will not be accepted. You need to upload the memo as a pdf but keep the spreadsheet as an excel file.

Your memo file must use this naming convention: section#_group#_projectname.pdf. For example, if you are group 3 in section 201, your file should be named 201_3_double_dwell_A.pdf. YoXr groXps spreadsheet mXst use a similar file name,double_dwell_A.xlsx. Memo or spreadsheets named incorrectly will be considered late until they are re-uploaded with the correct name. 

Do not wait until the last minute to work on this project! Get together with your groupmates, come up with a work schedule and a fair division of labor, then get started. 
 
You can upload multiple attempts to Blackboard. Only the last attempt uploaded will be graded.So get drafts uploaded a day or two early, just to make sure you have submitted something. Then upload your final version on the due date. Also, since there will be nearly 50 groups submitting assignments,I recommend you upload your files earlier on the due date, rather than waiting for 11:59 pm. Late reports because of computer or Blackboard glitches are still late. 
 
Engineering reports (and memos) should be written in the passive tense and not include personal pronoXns or references to the team ?For e[ample, a proper sentence to Xse ZoXld be The cycloidal displacement function was determined to be the best for the rise segment of the cam program ?An improper sentence ZoXld be We determined that the cycloidal displacement function was the best one to use for the rise segment of the cam program ?Be carefXl to not include new information in your conclusion section, too.  
 
Late Penalties
 
You will lose 10 points for every day late. If you upload your files 1 minXte late, that 10 points off. If you upload them 2 days and 1 minXte late or more, that 20 points, and so on.