Flexible Cam Profile Synthesis Method Using NURBS and its Optimization Based on Genetic Algorithm

Abstract

This paper describes a synthesis method of designing flexible cam profiles by using quintic non-uniform rational B spline (NURBS) curves. The cam profile curve can be optimized by adjusting knot vector, control points and weight factors of NURBS curve. The multiobjective optimization for a cam curve was described to satisfy both kinematic and dynamic requirements. To solve the optimization model for NURBS cam curve, an improved genetic algorithm (GA) called INSGA in the paper was proposed. Application examples on the kinematical and dynamical optimization of cam curves are presented together with detailed discussions. These examples, especial the dynamic optimization to control the residual vibration for a cam curve used in an indexing cam mechanism, sufficiently illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.