Abstract: A high bandwidth, large stroke spin-stand for testing components of a disc drive includes a coarse positioning stage and a rotary micropositioning stage. The spin-stand is capable of positioning a transducer head relative to the data storage disc based on one or both of: (1) an angular position of a rotary actuator arm in the rotary micropositioning stage; and (2) servo data read from the data storage disc. The angular position of the rotary actuator arm is detected by an encoder. In one embodiment, position adjustments are based on the detected angular position. In another embodiment, position adjustments are based on servo data read from the data storage disc, but are also conditional on angular position being consistent with the servo data. In yet another embodiment, both angular position and servo data from a track are linearized to generate PES adjustment parameters that are recorded on the data storage disc to redefine the track as more circular or to linearize the PES.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for testing a head to be used in a disc drive. The method is performed in a spin-stand and includes steps of positioning a head over a radial position on a disc, reading test data from a track at the radial position, reading servo data from the track, and using the servo data to position the head at a desired location within the track. The apparatus for practicing this method includes a disc capable of spinning, a positioning system capable of establishing a position for a head relative to the disc, a servo circuit capable of converting a servo signal into a position value, and a feedback circuit capable of controlling the positioning system based on the position value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for testing a microactuator that forms part of a suspension assembly in a disc drive. The method and apparatus test the microactuator before placing the suspension assembly in a disc drive. In the invention, the head is positioned over a track on a disc based in part on servo information read from the disc. At least one input signal is then applied to at last one microactuator on the suspension assembly. Servo information is then read from the disc to determine a change in the position of the head. By comparing the change in the position of the head to the input signal applied to the microactuator, a performance characteristic of a microactuator can be determined.

Abstract: A high bandwidth, large stroke spin-stand for testing components of a disc drive includes a coarse positioning stage and a rotary micropositioning stage. The spin-stand is capable of positioning a transducer head relative to the data storage disc based on one or both of: (1) an angular position of a rotary actuator arm in the rotary micropositioning stage; and (2) servo data read from the data storage disc. The angular position of the rotary actuator arm is detected by an encoder. In one embodiment, position adjustments are based on the detected angular position. In another embodiment, position adjustments are based on servo data read from the data storage disc, but are also conditional on angular position being consistent with the servo data. In yet another embodiment, both angular position and servo data from a track are linearized to generate PES adjustment parameters that are recorded on the data storage disc to redefine the track as more circular or to linearize the PES.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring the peak amplitude of an input signal includes a comparator for comparing the input signal against a reference signal. The comparator selectively drives a latch which in turn drives a successive approximation register. The count in the successive approximation register is selectively increased or decreased by a predetermined amount, depending on the condition of the latch and the count in the register. The register count is converted by a digital-to-analog converter to provide the reference signal.