Title: Flow-induced vibration in Hard Disk Drives

Authors: Qide Zhang, Teck-Hong Yip, Guoxiao Guo

Addresses: Data Storage Institute, DSI Building, 5, Engineering Drive 1, (off Kent Ridge Crescent), NUS, 117608, Singapore. ' Data Storage Institute, DSI Building, 5, Engineering Drive 1, (off Kent Ridge Crescent), NUS, 117608, Singapore. ' Data Storage Institute, DSI Building, 5, Engineering Drive 1, (off Kent Ridge Crescent), NUS, 117608, Singapore

Abstract: The paper introduces and discusses the impact of flow induced vibrations on the performance of Hard Disk Drives (HDD). Two major flow structure interactions of HDDs, flow-induced disk flutter and flow-induced vibration of head gimbal assembly, are discussed. Methods of visualising, measuring and predicting flow field in HDDs are first introduced. Subsequently, methodologies are discussed aiming at measuring disk flutter, calculating the effects of disk flutter on track mis-registration and reducing the effects of disk flutter. Lastly, future research topics on airflow in HDDs are discussed.

Keywords: hard disk drives; HDDs; air flow; turbulent modelling; flow-induced vibration; FIV; disk flutter; vibration; head gimbal assembly.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPD.2008.017472

International Journal of Product Development, 2008 Vol.5 No.3/4, pp.390 - 409

Published online: 11 Mar 2008 *

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