Walking Force Simulation CAM

One of the most important aspects of athletic footwear is its durability. In its lifespan, a shoe can undergo millions of cycles of force due to walking. To test the durability of the rubber heels in these shoes, we made a device that replicates the pattern of force over time of a typical walking human’s foot.

We were provided with the force over time diagram of an average step and used this to create the CAM component of the design. Based on the specifications of the hydraulic piston device being used to apply the force to the sample, we were able to size the mechanism. 

One of my primary contributions as a member of this team was the usage of DynaCam software to convert the force over time diagram into an appropriate CAM profile.