Cams, gears and pulleys

Quality AssuredCategory:Design and technologyPublisher:Minsthorpe Community College

This collection of classroom presentations, student worksheets and student revision activities support the teaching of:

types of motion (I.e. reciprocating, oscillating, linear, rotary)
gears (I.e. bevel, idler, gear trains
pulleys
levers (I.e. first order, second order, third order) and linkages (I.e. push / pull)
cams and followers (I.e. eccentric, snail, oval)

This video provides a good overview of how gears are used to alter the way in which a cyclist can climb a hill on their bike. It uses American units of measurement, but, the concepts around how gear size affects output are clearly presented for students to understand.

This video looks at gears, giving a scientific and mathematic explanation for how they transfer movement. It uses the term moment (the turning effect of a force calculated by the size of the force x the distance between the force and the pivot) and provides a simple example of gear transmission.

Quality AssuredCategory:Design and technologyPublisher:Design & Technology

This resource provides step-by-step instructions on how Fusion 360 can be used to create a cam and follower, including basic rendering and movement of the cam and follow components around an axle.

Quality AssuredCategory:Design and technologyPublisher:Boxford Software

This resource from Boxford provides CAD files for the manufacture of a teaching aid for mechanisms. It includes photographs of the final product and CAD drawings of the component parts used, for manufacture by hand or laser cutter.

Quality AssuredCategory:Design and technologyPublisher:Technology Enhancement Programme

Produced by the Technology Enhancement programme (TEP), these materials help students to understand, design and prototype mechanisms (including levers, gears and linkages). The resource also supports students to work through some of the mathematical concepts involved in calculating gear ratio.

Students are challenged to make a series of mechanisms to meet specific design briefs:

'easy open' jar clamp
pantograph engraver
stone tumbling machine
picture frame clamp
wire frame automaton

Study files are also included and these allow students to research and practice important techniques and topics. The areas covered include: design, researching mechanical systems (including four bar linkage, cam and cam follower, crank-slider, friction, stiffness, electric motors, smart wire.

Quality AssuredCategory:Design and technologyPublisher:Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)

n this resource students are asked to test the operation of pulley systems and calculating their mechanical advantage. Suggested learning outcomes include:

To understand what is meant by mechanical advantage.
To be able to calculate the mechanical advantage of pulley systems.
To perform suitable tests on how a pulley system functions.

Quality AssuredCategory:Design and technologyPublisher:Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)

This resource investigates modelling and constructing pulley systems designed to lift loads. Suggested learning outcomes include:

To be able to recognise and describe the main parts of a pulley system.
To understand how a pulley system can reduce the effort needed to lift a load.
To model and construct different types of pulley systems.