Terms Used in Radial Cams 3. Pressure angle. It is the angle between the direction of the follower motion and a normal to the pitch curve. This angle is very important in designing a cam profile. If the pressure angle is too large, a reciprocating follower will jam in its bearings. 4. Pitch point. It is a point on the pitch curve having the maximum pressure angle. 5. Pitch circle. It is a circle drawn from the centre of the cam through the pitch points. 6. Pitch curve. It is the curve generated by the trace point as the follower moves relative to the cam. For a knife edge follower, the pitch curve and the cam profile are same whereas for a roller follower, they are separated by the radius of the roller.