Question:
Why roller follower is preferred over a knife follower ? State two advantages and application of roller follower.
Answer:
In case of knife edge follower there is sliding motion between the contacting surface of cam and follower. Because of small contact area, there is excessive wear; therefore it is not frequently used. Whereas in roller follower there is rolling motion between contacting surfacing and more contact area, therefore rate of wear is greatly reduced.
Advantages: i) Less wear, more life ii) Less side thrust as compared to knife edge follower.
Application: Used in stationary oil and gas engines