I-camshaft yinxalenye yenjini yepiston. Umsebenzi wayo kukulawula ukuvulwa nokuvalwa kwevalvu. Nangona i-camshaft ijikeleza ngesiqingatha sesantya se-crankshaft kwinjini ye-four-stroke (i-camshaft ijikeleza ngesantya esifanayo ne-crankshaft kwinjini ye-two-stroke), i-camshaft idla ngokujikeleza ngesantya esiphezulu kwaye ifuna i-torque eninzi. Ke ngoko, uyilo lwe-camshaft lufuna amandla aphezulu kunye neemfuno zenkxaso. Ihlala yenziwe ngentsimbi ye-alloy okanye ye-alloy esemgangathweni ophezulu. Uyilo lwe-camshaft ludlala indima ebaluleke kakhulu kuyilo lwenjini kuba umthetho wokuhamba kwevalvu unxulumene namandla kunye neempawu zokusebenza kwenjini.
I-camshaft ithwalwa yimithwalo yempembelelo rhoqo. Uxinzelelo loqhagamshelwano phakathi kwe-CAM kunye ne-turtet lukhulu kakhulu, kwaye isantya sokutyibilika siphezulu kakhulu, ngoko ke ukuguguleka komphezulu wokusebenza we-CAM kukhulu kakhulu. Ngenxa yesi simo, ijenali ye-camshaft kunye nomphezulu wokusebenza we-CAM kufuneka ube nokuchaneka okuphezulu, uburhabaxa obuncinci bomphezulu kunye nokuqina okwaneleyo, kodwa kufuneka ube nokumelana nokuguguleka okuphezulu kunye nokuthambisa okuhle.
Ii-camshafts zihlala zenziwe ngentsimbi yekhabhoni okanye i-alloy esemgangathweni ophezulu, kodwa zinokuphinda zenziwe ngentsimbi ye-alloy okanye i-nodular cast. Umphezulu wokusebenza wejenali kunye ne-CAM uyapholishwa emva konyango lobushushu.
