Optimum design of cam-roller follower mechanism using a new evolutionary algorithm

Abstract

The optimum design of a cam mechanism is a very interesting problem in the contact mechanics today, due to the alternative industrial applications as a mechanism of precision. In this paper, a new evolutionary algorithm called modified adaptive differential evolution (MADE) is introduced for multi-objective optimization of a cam mechanism with offset translating roller follower. The optimization procedure is investigated for three objectives among them minimum congestion, maximum efficiency, and maximum strength resistance of the cam. To enhance the design quality of the mechanism in the optimization process, more geometric parameters and more design constraints are included in the problem formulation. In order to validate the developed algorithm, three engineering design problems are solved. The simulation results for the tested problems indicate the effectiveness and the robustness of the proposed algorithm compared to the various existed optimization methods. Finally, the optimal results obtained for the case study example provide very useful decisions for a cam mechanism synthesis.