Year 6 - Design and technology
Cam mechanisms
Cams: automata
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit develops pupils' knowledge of mechanisms through cams. Pupils will develop knowledge of the properties of wood and apply this by selecting suitable materials for functionality. Knowledge of wood construction and joining techniques are introduced and applied through making an automaton.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to identify how cams create movement.
Key Notes
- Cams usually convert rotary motion into linear motion.
- Rotary motion is movement that goes round.
- Oscillating motion is moving to and fro around a pivot point, as in a lever.
- Reciprocating motion is a backwards and forwards movement in a straight line, as in a slider.
Vocabulary To Learn
- cam: a mechanism that changes one type of movement to another
- rotary: movement that goes round in a circle
- linear: movement in a straight line
- reciprocating: backwards and forwards movement in a straight line, as in a slider
- oscillating: moving back and forth along a curved path
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- All cams create the same movement.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Cams usually convert rotary motion into linear motion. Rotary motion is movement that goes round.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'cam'
a mechanism that changes one type of movement to another.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: All cams create the same movement. Correction: The size, shape and position of a cam will create different types of movement.
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