The Profile Is the Part
A cam converts rotation into a precise follower motion, and that motion is entirely defined by the cam profile — the working curve. So the whole job is machining that curve accurately and giving it a hard, smooth face that survives repeated follower contact. CNC machining is ideal: the profile comes straight from the math or a scan, identical every time, with no hand-filing.
Custom Cam Specifications
| Attribute | Capability |
|---|---|
| Types | Plate / disc, barrel / cylindrical, face, index, eccentric |
| Profile source | CAD curve, displacement diagram, or scanned sample |
| Materials | 4140 & tool steels, stainless, aluminium |
| Working face | Hardened & ground/polished for wear |
| Bore | Keyed (DIN 6885), set-screw, or to fit shaft |
| Quantity | One-off to batch |
Followers & Cam Motion — What Defines Your Cam
A cam profile is designed around two things: the follower it pushes, and the motion you want. Tell us these and we can design or reproduce the curve.
Follower type sets how the profile is shaped:
| Follower | Best for |
|---|---|
| Roller | Low friction & wear — the most common for powered cams |
| Flat-faced | High load, abrupt profile changes; compact |
| Spherical / mushroom | Tolerates slight misalignment |
| Knife-edge | Sharpest profile detail (low-load, wears fast) |
It can be translating (moves in a line) or oscillating (pivots on an arm), and in-line or offset.
The motion is described as a sequence of rise → dwell → return → dwell (RDRD) over one rotation — how far the follower lifts, how long it holds, and the motion law (constant-velocity, simple-harmonic, or cycloidal for smooth high-speed running). A displacement diagram or even a plain description ("lift 12 mm over 90°, hold 60°, return") is enough for us to build the profile.
How We Make / Reproduce a Cam
- From a profile: send the curve, a displacement diagram, or the follower motion you need.
- From a sample: we measure or 3D scan the worn cam, rebuild the curve, and machine it — see reverse engineering.
- Harden & finish: the working face is hardened and smoothed for low-friction, long-life follower contact.
Material & Hardness
Cams that take repeated contact are machined in 4140 or a tool steel and hardened on the working face; stainless for corrosive settings, aluminium for light index cams. Profile and bore are verified on inspection.
Worn or obsolete cam? Send the cam (even worn) and tell us the follower; we rebuild the exact profile and machine a hardened replacement. No drawing required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both. From a CAD curve or displacement diagram we machine directly; from a worn sample we scan/measure the profile, rebuild the curve and reproduce it with bore and keyway. No drawing needed.
The curve is CNC-machined from the math or scan for accurate, smooth follower motion; we finish-grind/polish the face and verify the profile on inspection.
Yes — hardenable steel or tool steel hardened on the working face for wear, bore left machinable.
Plate/disc, barrel/cylindrical, face and index cams, plus eccentrics — tell us the follower and motion.
Quote a Custom Cam
Profile, sample or drawing — all accepted. Reply in 24h.
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