Slingluff 1

Mason Slingluff
Professor Jizi
UWRT 1103
11/30/2015
EIP Essay
An operation of a camshaft directly affect the unique characteristics of how an engine
sounds and performs. A camshaft is a long shaft that has lobes on it that spins. When the lobes
spin they push on a rocker arm or a pushrod that is connected to a rocker arm. A rocker arm acts
like a see-saw in that one end is pushed on by the camshaft and the other end pushes on the stem
of a valve. The valves that are being pushed on open and close holes in the cylinder head to
allow intake air and gas in and exhaust gas out. That being said, how is a camshaft set up in a
motorcycle engine that is capable of such high rotations per minute (RPM) as 14000 RPM. Why
I am interested in camshafts is because I replaced the stock camshaft in my mustang to a high
performance camshaft and loved what it did to the sound of my car. Ever since then I have been
very interested in the functioning and purpose of camshafts.
The affect on society is that camshaft can drastically change the efficiency of engines.
There are many new ways of how to set up a camshaft such as the three elements sliding system
that was mentioned in new mechanical variable valve actuation systems for motorcycle
engines. This system uses an extra rocker arm between the cam and main rocker arm to adjust
the lift of the valve (Abagnale). New innovations like these can help the gas crisis and can better
the racing industry.

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There have been many new design of camshafts over the years and the evolution of the
internal combustion engine. In the early twentieth century the first engines were not even made
with camshafts. The first engines used to let the vacuum created by the intake stroke of the
piston pull on a valve that would then open and allow air into the cylinder. The modern designs
of engines include much more technical aspects. Computers inside of cars are now used to
adjust the timing of a camshaft in real time as the engine is changing RPM (Williams). These
advances in technology helped the internal combustion engine become much more efficient and
powerful. They also help the reliability of an engine. As illustrated in Exhaust emissions of
new high-performance motorcycles in hot and cold conditions, camshafts help an engine start in
cold temperatures and be more efficient in higher temperatures (Iodice).
After researching the different camshafts I noticed how many different ways a camshaft
can be set up. The new designs I looked at made me realize that camshafts are always changing.
They are being redesigned constantly to be improved. The many designs in new mechanical
variable valve actuation systems for motorcycle engines, were the most interesting to me. I
found the idea of an extra rocker arm to adjust the lift very interesting. I am excited to see what
kind of design will revolutionize the motorcycle industry in the future.
I now understand the countless possibilities there are in designing camshafts. I learned
the general trends of adjusting things like lift and lobe separation. Learning these things will
help me better understand the entire working of an engine, which will benefit me in my future as
a mechanical engineer. I am still curious about the future of camshafts designs and what an
engine will look like in the future. If I was to keep inquiring I think my next step would be to
look at the octane ratings of fuel and what type of fuels are required with different camshaft set
ups.

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Work Cited

Iodice, P., and A. Senatore. Exhaust Emissions of New High-performance Motorcycles in Hot
and Cold Conditions. International Journal of Envirnmental Science and Technology
Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. (2015): 3133-144. Print.
Williams, J J. Introduction to Analytical Methods for Internal Combustion Engine Cam
Mechanisms. London: Springer, 2013. Internet resource.
Croccolo, Dario, and Agostinis M. De. Motorbike Suspensions: Modern Design and
Optimisation. London: Springer, 2013. Internet resource.
Martini, G, P Bonnel, C Astorga-Llorens, and A Krasenbrink. "Physical Characteristics of Pm
from 2-Stroke and 4-Stroke Motorcycle Engines." Journal of Aerosol Science. 34 (2003):
525-526. Print.
Abagnale, C, M Migliaccio, and O Pennacchia. "New Mechanical Variable Valve Actuation
Systems for Motorcycle Engines." Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical
Engineers, Part C: Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science. 229.4 (2015): 716-734.
Print.