Dynamic and Stability Analysis of Flexible Cam-Follower Systems

In this paper, dynamic and stability analysis of a flexible cam-follower system is investigated. Equation of motion is derived considering flexibility of the follower and camshaft. Viscous and Coulomb frictions are considered in the rocker arm pivot. The normalized equation of motion of the system is a 2nd- order differential equation with periodic coefficients. Floquet theory is employed to study parametric stability of the system. Stability diagrams are presented and the effects of varying cam profiles and motion events on the stability of the system are compared. Results show that viscous and Coulomb frictions stabilize the motion of the system