UC San Diego

Numerical methods were used to study the effect of shock and vibrations on hard disk drives. Finite element models of the hard disk drive were developed for the operational and non-operational state of the drive for three different form factors. The numerical results were compared and validated with experimental data. A commercially available non-linear finite element solver was used to obtain the structural response of the hard disk drive components subject to external shock and vibration inputs. A finite element solution of the Reynolds equation was used to investigate the air bearing response of the head disk interface. The inclusion of surface texture and surface pattern on the slider air bearing surface and its effect on slider flying characteristics were studied