Abstract: An actuator with a moveable block and supporting a cantilevered arm has a windage stripper supported for movement in unison with the block and spanning a cantilevered length of the arm. The actuator has a load member connected to the arm and supports a data head at a cantilevered end, wherein the stripper comprises a vane terminating at a distal end beyond the cantilevered end. A method including moving a data storage medium creating windage adjacent to an actuator supporting a data head at a cantilevered end, and supporting a windage stripper comprising a vane at the cantilevered end for movement in unison with the actuator in shielding the cantilevered end from windage-induced excitation.

Abstract: A vertically-oriented servo track writer assembly and method for recording servo pattern on a disc surface includes a spindle hub assembly that rotates one or more discs in a substantially vertical plane and an actuator assembly that pivots an E-block about a substantially horizontal axis. The E-block includes one or more actuator arms and associated flexures, with each flexure including a servo recording head. Pivoting motion of the E-block moves each servo recording head in a substantially vertical plane adjacent a surface of an associated disc to record servo pattern information on the disc surface. The method further includes laterally moving the actuator assembly into and out of engagement with the spindle hub assembly to simplify loading and unloading discs from the spindle hub assembly.