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User Manual
Chapter 15
GFK-1742F
Jan 2020
Using the Electronic CAM Feature
327
15.3
CAM Syntax
This section covers some critical features of the CAM feature and introduces the CAM
Motion Program statements and error codes.
15.3.1
CAM Types
An important concept concerning the CAM function is the different CAM types available.
The CAM profiles can be one of the following types:
1.
Non-Cyclic CAM
2.
Linear Cyclic CAM
3.
Circular Cyclic CAM
The following sections describe each of these CAM types.
Non-Cyclic CAM
A Non-Cyclic CAM has a unique non-repeating profile for the whole range of Master position
values. The CAM exits when either boundary of the CAM profile is reached. The CAM can also
exit if an external event is configured to trigger a conditional Jump. The User Units to Counts
ratio specified for the Master and Slave axes when configuring a Non-Cyclical CAM must
match the User Units:Counts ratio specified for the corresponding axes in Hardware
Configuration. Also, the maximum and minimum position values for the slave and master
axes must lie within the High/Low position limits specified for the corresponding axes in
Hardware Configuration.
Linear Cyclic CAM
A Linear Cyclic CAM has a profile that keeps repeating until an event causes it to exit.
Furthermore, the numerical and physical end points of the CAM slave axis are the same as
the starting point of the cycle. A reciprocating crankshaft is an example of a Linear Cyclic
CAM. The User Units to Counts ratio specified for the master and slave axes when
configuring a CAM profile must match the User Units per Counts value for the corresponding
axes in Hardware Configuration. Figures 145 and 146 show an example of a Linear Cyclic
CAM application.
Constraint: The first and last slave point must be the same for a Linear Cyclic CAM. The CAM
Editor will not display the option for “Linear Cyclic” in the “Cam Type” field unless this
constraint is satisfied by the data in the CAM table.