{
 "version": "2026-10-20",
 "license": "Dimension sheets are written by Xem Studio from the cited sources and are free to use (CC BY 4.0, attribute 'Xem Studio'). Linked files belong to their publishers under the license shown; Xem Studio does not host them. 'license_verified: false' means the license shown is from memory or the publisher's page as last read and should be confirmed at the link before commercial use.",
 "slug": "plate-cam-flat-follower-mechanism",
 "name": "Plate cam with flat-faced follower (constant acceleration (parabolic) rise)",
 "kind": "hardware",
 "category": "Mechanisms",
 "group": "Cams",
 "year": null,
 "question": "How does a plate cam with a flat-faced follower work?",
 "tags": [
  "mechanism",
  "cams",
  "kinematics",
  "507 mechanical movements"
 ],
 "aliases": [
  "flat-faced follower cam",
  "cam and follower",
  "parabolic cam profile",
  "leva de disco con seguidor de cara plana",
  "Kurvenscheibe mit Flachstößel"
 ],
 "overall_mm": {
  "length": null,
  "width": null,
  "height": null
 },
 "official_cad": false,
 "xem_status": "free-files",
 "les": false,
 "free_files": 1,
 "url": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/plate-cam-flat-follower-mechanism/",
 "sheet_txt": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/plate-cam-flat-follower-mechanism/sheet.txt",
 "sheet": {
  "basis": "Xem Studio design following Brown No. 138 (1868)",
  "overall_mm": {
   "length": null,
   "width": null,
   "height": null
  },
  "notes": [
   "A disc cam turning on its shaft lifts a flat-faced follower that slides in a straight guide: the profile is drawn from the displacement law — here constant acceleration (parabolic) rise of 12 mm over 120°, dwell, return, dwell.",
   "Flat face: contact point moves sideways by ds/dθ, the profile must be convex; constant-acceleration (parabolic) motion gives the lowest peak acceleration.",
   "Drawn at 60° of cam rotation (mid-rise, lift 6 mm) with the follower touching the profile; follower guide 30 × 16 block. Brown's No. 138.",
   "Parts (each has its own page): plate-cam-parabolic-flat-r20-h12, flat-face-follower-40, follower-guide-block-8.",
   "Brown's movement No. 138 (1868) shows it; this model is a Xem Studio design following his figure, every part at true size."
  ],
  "table": {
   "columns": [
    "parameter",
    "value"
   ],
   "rows": [
    [
     "base circle",
     "R20"
    ],
    [
     "rise",
     "12 mm / 120°"
    ],
    [
     "law",
     "constant acceleration (parabolic)"
    ],
    [
     "follower",
     "flat-faced"
    ],
    [
     "pose",
     "60°, lift 6 mm"
    ]
   ]
  }
 },
 "sheet_text": "Plate cam with flat-faced follower (constant acceleration (parabolic) rise) — dimension sheet\nSource: Xem Studio, https://xemstudio.com/objects/plate-cam-flat-follower-mechanism/  (CC BY 4.0)\nBasis: Xem Studio design following Brown No. 138 (1868)\nCatalog version: 2026-10-20\n\nSizes: see table below\n- A disc cam turning on its shaft lifts a flat-faced follower that slides in a straight guide: the profile is drawn from the displacement law — here constant acceleration (parabolic) rise of 12 mm over 120°, dwell, return, dwell.\n- Flat face: contact point moves sideways by ds/dθ, the profile must be convex; constant-acceleration (parabolic) motion gives the lowest peak acceleration.\n- Drawn at 60° of cam rotation (mid-rise, lift 6 mm) with the follower touching the profile; follower guide 30 × 16 block. Brown's No. 138.\n- Parts (each has its own page): plate-cam-parabolic-flat-r20-h12, flat-face-follower-40, follower-guide-block-8.\n- Brown's movement No. 138 (1868) shows it; this model is a Xem Studio design following his figure, every part at true size.\n\nparameter  value\nbase circle  R20\nrise  12 mm / 120°\nlaw  constant acceleration (parabolic)\nfollower  flat-faced\npose  60°, lift 6 mm\n\nFiles elsewhere (not hosted by Xem Studio; license as stated by the publisher):\n- Henry T. Brown (1868, public domain): Five Hundred and Seven Mechanical Movements — scan on archive.org — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://archive.org/details/fivehundredseven00browiala\n- 507movements.com: Brown's movement No. 138: figure, his text and an animation — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://507movements.com/mm_138.html\n\nFree files (CC BY 4.0, Xem Studio; STEP + STL, 1 parts): https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/plate-cam-flat-follower-mechanism/index.json\nAPI: https://xemstudio.com/api/geometry?object=plate-cam-flat-follower-mechanism\n",
 "sources": [
  {
   "publisher": "Henry T. Brown (1868, public domain)",
   "title": "Five Hundred and Seven Mechanical Movements — scan on archive.org",
   "url": "https://archive.org/details/fivehundredseven00browiala",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "507movements.com",
   "title": "Brown's movement No. 138: figure, his text and an animation",
   "url": "https://507movements.com/mm_138.html",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  }
 ],
 "xem": {
  "status": "free-files",
  "sheet_free": true,
  "mesh_price_usd": null,
  "step_price_usd": null,
  "tolerance_mm": null
 },
 "related": [
  "plate-cam-parabolic-flat-r20-h12",
  "flat-face-follower-40",
  "follower-guide-block-8"
 ],
 "fits": [],
 "dimensions": "exact (nominal, no printing tolerance)",
 "dimension_rule": "All geometry on Xem Studio is exact (nominal, true size) with no printing tolerance. Where a part meets another part, the object lists its mating features (feature, exact size, what it mates with, fit class: press, slide, run, socket, clamp or designed). Apply your process's allowance to those features only; 'designed' gaps are part of the design and stay as drawn.",
 "mating": [],
 "faq": [
  {
   "q": "How does a plate cam with a flat-faced follower work?",
   "a": "A disc cam turning on its shaft lifts a flat-faced follower that slides in a straight guide: the profile is drawn from the displacement law — here constant acceleration (parabolic) rise of 12 mm over 120°, dwell, return, dwell."
  }
 ],
 "files_license": null,
 "offers": [
  {
   "file": "plate-cam-flat-follower-mechanism-assembly",
   "formats": [
    "step",
    "stl"
   ],
   "price_usd": 0,
   "license": "CC BY 4.0 (Xem Studio)",
   "step": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/plate-cam-flat-follower-mechanism/plate-cam-flat-follower-mechanism-assembly.step",
   "stl": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/plate-cam-flat-follower-mechanism/plate-cam-flat-follower-mechanism-assembly.stl",
   "note": "Assembled mechanism, all parts placed at one pose (STEP keeps each part separate)"
  }
 ],
 "markdown": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/plate-cam-flat-follower-mechanism/index.md"
}