Head Suspension Rail Forming via Deformable Margins
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing head suspension designs for hard disk drives face challenges in achieving optimal shock properties and preventing twist due to longitudinal curves of rails, which affect the B1 frequency and off-track performance.
Innovation Solution
A method of manufacturing a head suspension with a load beam and rails formed on the load beam, where a plate-like framework is created with formation margins for rail formation, and rails are formed by bending these margins to rise, incorporating deformable parts along longitudinal curves to prevent twist and enhance vertical rigidity and B1 frequency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the length and thickness of the load beam are reduced to improve shock property, then the shock property is improved, but the vertical rigidity decreases and B1 frequency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The load beam is segmented into a rigid part and a resilient part, allowing the rigid part to maintain vertical rigidity while the resilient part provides shock absorption. This segmentation enables the load beam to have different mechanical properties in different sections, resolving the contradiction between shock property and vertical rigidity.
Solution Approach 2:
The load beam uses a composite structure combining rigid and resilient parts, where each part is made of appropriate materials and has optimized geometry. This composite approach allows the system to simultaneously achieve high vertical rigidity from the rigid part and good shock absorption from the resilient part.
2Reliability
If rails are formed with longitudinal curves to improve shock property, then the shock property is improved, but twist occurs in the load beam
Solution Approach 1:
Deformable parts are preliminarily formed at specific positions on the rails before final assembly. These deformable parts act as stress relief features that prevent twist during the rail forming process with longitudinal curves, allowing the rails to maintain their curve shape without causing load beam distortion.
Solution Approach 2:
The rail structure is modified by introducing deformable parts that change the local mechanical parameters of the rail. These deformable parts allow controlled flexibility in specific regions while maintaining overall rail integrity, enabling longitudinal curves to be formed without inducing twist in the load beam.
3Reliability
If the load beam is made thin and short to improve shock property, then the shock property is improved, but manufacturing precision becomes more difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
Dividing the load beam into rigid and resilient segments with distinct dimensional requirements allows each segment to be manufactured with appropriate tolerances. The rigid part can be made with tighter tolerances for precision, while the resilient part can be optimized for shock absorption, making overall manufacturing more feasible.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the load beam are given different local qualities - the rigid part has higher dimensional stability and tighter tolerances, while the resilient part has more flexibility. This local differentiation allows the thin and short design to achieve good shock property while maintaining manufacturing precision in critical areas.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively improves the shock property and off-track performance by increasing the B1 frequency, ensuring the load beam can follow arm vibrations and reducing lift-off and off-track errors, while maintaining high vertical rigidity.
Implementation Method 1
forming rails by bending the formation margins to rise
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a head suspension includes forming a rigid part chain product where the rigid parts are provided continuously, including forming a plate-like framework for formation of the rigid part including formation margins for formation of the rails and forming a deformable part along a longitudinal curve of each formation margin and forming the rails by bending the formation margins to rise, forming a resilient member chain product where the resilient members are provided continuously, forming the flexures, forming the bases, and a stacking and coupling step stacking and coupling the rigid part chain product, the resilient member chain product, the bases, and the flexures, to form a stacked set, and cutting and separating respective head suspensions from the stacked set.