A cam mechanism is made up of three main parts: a cam, a follower and a slide. Cams can be different shapes. This one is shaped like a circle, but as you can see, the hole isn’t in the middle.

Cam–follower systems are integral to a myriad of engineering applications, ... The graph below shows the total number of publications each year in Cam-Follower Dynamics and Mechanism Analysis.

This is indeed an extremely simple introduction to cams. Cams are used in many more different configuration, and a quick search for “cam mechanism” will find many more variants.

Cam–follower systems are integral to a myriad of engineering applications, from automotive valve trains to precision industrial machinery. The current research landscape encompasses ...