Finite-element shock analysis of an operating hard disk drive considering the flexibility of a spinning disk-spindle, a head-suspension-actuator, and a supporting structure

Abstract

This paper proposes a finite-element method (FEM) with mode superposition to analyze the shock response of a flexible hard disk drive (HDD) composed of a spinning disk-spindle system with fluid dynamic bearings (FDBs), a head-suspension-actuator with pivot bearings and air bearings, and a base plate with complicated geometry. The proposed method is applied to a 2.5-in HDD. The displacements of the head, spinning disk, and arm are calculated, and they are also measured by experiments. This research shows that the numerical results match well with the experimental ones. It also investigates the head-disk motion due to operational shock.