Sometimes cam follower manufacturers press-fit a layer of resin onto the cam follower’s large outer ring to further increase its diameter. While the outer ring’s larger diameter enhances radial load capacity, its thickness also makes it difficult to design into constrained spaces in, for example, semiconductor and medical equipment or various precision conveyance systems. This blog post will introduce you to a polymer-type cam follower with a space-saving outer ring design that also offers exceptional lubricity and shock absorption properties.

Conventional resin-type cam followers offer high radial load support with less wear and more cleanliness than metal types. IKO International’s CFL line of polymer-type cam followers offers these advantages plus up to 33% outer ring size reduction versus conventional resin cam followers. Their unique design solves the dilemma of integrating a high-performance cam follower where space is at a premium. In fact, users can replace their standard cam followers with a CFL Series unit without any design changes.

Instead of press-fitting resin to the outer ring and increasing its diameter, the CFL Series integrally molds a polymer directly onto the steel outer ring. When compared to commercially available cam followers with a 12-millimeter stud diameter, the CFL has a 30-millimeter outer ring diameter — the same outer ring diameter as a standard cam follower and 21% smaller than the 38-millimeter diameter of a conventional resin cam follower. For a 6-millimeter stud diameter, the CFL’s outer ring diameter is 16 millimeters versus 24 millimeters for a commercially available conventional resin cam follower — a 33% space savings. In addition to the space efficiency of an outer ring with an embedded polymer, CFL Series compact cam followers also feature:

• Quiet operation. As the outer ring rotates, the polymer material absorbs vibration and suppresses noise, eliminating the need for covers and sheets.
• Scratchproof. Unlike metal outer rings, the polymer does not damage or scratch the workpiece. This makes the CFL Series particularly suitable in the conveyance mechanisms in precision machines.
• Maintenance-free. There is no need to grease the outer diameter surface which could otherwise contaminate the surrounding area.

CFL Series compact cam followers are available in two versions:

• Self-lubricating type (POM). This version uses a high-lubricity polymer and exhibits less deformation and a higher allowable load than type TPU.
• Shock-absorbing type (TPU). Elastic urethane rubber construction absorbs shock loads and vibration. This type also includes a lactone-based polyurethane with excellent mechanical properties and hydrolysis resistance.

Effective Motion Transmission and Space Economy
CFL cam followers with an outer ring that also include an integrally molded polymer layer allow machine builders to overcome space limitations while offering high radial load capability and cleanliness. To find out if a compact polymer-type cam follower like the CFL Series is right for your application, be sure to talk to an IKO sales engineer.

For more information about CFL cam followers, please visit our cam followers page.