Disk Drive Testing Robotic Arm Vibration Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current disk drive testing systems face challenges with excess vibration, which affects the reliability of test results and increases manufacturing costs due to sensitivity to vibration in newer disk drives with higher capacities and faster rotational speeds, and existing systems often require large footprints and manual operation.
Innovation Solution
A disk drive testing system utilizing a robotic arm that rotates and extends radially to service multiple racks with test slots, incorporating a vision system for precise guidance, and a vibration control system to minimize vibrations, allowing for continuous testing of disk drives with reduced footprint and improved efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current disk drive testing systems are used, then testing can be performed, but excess vibration affects reliability of test results and increases manufacturing costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary vibration isolation table positioned between the disk drive testing system and the floor. This table absorbs and isolates vibrations generated during testing, preventing them from propagating to adjacent units. The intermediary structure acts as a buffer that decouples the testing system from the building structure, thereby reducing vibration-induced test errors and improving result reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the vibration source from the testing environment by isolating it on a separate vibration isolation table. By separating the vibration-generating components (disk drives during testing) from the surrounding testing infrastructure, the system prevents vibration propagation to adjacent test slots, thereby eliminating the harmful effect of excess vibration on test reliability.
2Productivity
If automation systems are introduced to reduce manual operation, then productivity improves, but device complexity and footprint increase
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic arm is designed with multi-functionality to perform multiple operations including picking up disk drives, placing them in test slots, and retrieving them after testing. This single robotic unit replaces what would otherwise require multiple specialized devices or manual operators for each task, thereby improving productivity while minimizing the increase in system complexity and footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic arm extends vertically from the vibration isolation table, utilizing the vertical dimension to access test slots arranged in multiple levels. This vertical arrangement allows the system to service multiple racks and test slots without requiring proportional horizontal space, thereby improving productivity while constraining the footprint increase.
3Manufacturing precision
If robotic arm with vision system is used, then manufacturing precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical positioning with an automated robotic arm guided by a vision system. The vision system uses optical fields to detect and track the positions of disk drives and test slots, providing precise positioning feedback to the robotic arm. This substitution of mechanical sensing with optical sensing achieves high manufacturing precision while the integrated control system manages the complexity of coordinating vision data with robotic movement.
Data Source
AI summary
A disk drive testing system includes at least one robotic arm defining a first axis substantially normal to a floor surface. The robotic arm is operable to rotate through a predetermined arc about and extend radially from the first axis. Multiple racks are arranged around the robotic arm for servicing by the robotic arm. Each rack houses multiple test slots that are each configured to receive a disk drive transporter configured to carry a disk drive for testing.