Cam-driven linkages are common in machinery. Many use air cylinders to load the follower against the cam. This project investigated the thermodynamic behavior of an air cylinder in this application and use the resulting data to develop a dynamic model of the cam-follower system. The differential equations of motion of the system's dynamic behavior were solved using MathCAD and the results compared to experimental data from a physical model of the system. The mass and spring parameters of the physical system were determined by a combination of CAD modeling and experiment. The behavior of an air cylinder in this application was determined to be isothermal.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• O'Brien, Christopher John
• Duperry, Peter Allen

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• 01D358M

Advisor

• Hall, John R.
• Norton, Robert L.

Year

• 2001

Center

• Gillette -Boston, Massachusetts Project Center - MQP

Sponsor

• Gillette Company

Date created

• 2001-01-01

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Mechanical Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright