Problem

Consider the cam-follower system in the figure. The cam is on a shaft that rotates with sp...

Consider the cam-follower system in the figure. The cam is on a shaft that rotates with speeds up to 3000 rpm. The profile of the cam is described by the function ℓ (ϕ) = R0(1 + 0.25 cos3 ϕ), where the angle ϕ is measured relative to the segment OA, which rotates with the cam, and where R0 = 3 cm. The follower has a mass of 90 g. Assuming that the contact between cam and follower is frictionless, choose appropriate values of the spring constant k and the spring’s unstretched length L0 such that the follower always remains in contact with the cam while minimizing the value of the contact force between the follower and the cam.