Abstract: A device for preventing damage to a pivot bearing assembly during manufacture of a hard disk drive includes a first bottom voice coil motor (VCM) plate hold-down clamp configured to clamp down on a first exposed surface of a bottom VCM plate of the hard disk drive and a second bottom VCM plate hold-down clamp configured to clamp down on a second exposed surface of the bottom VCM plate. The first and second bottom VCM plate hold-down clamps are configured to prevent damage to the pivot bearing assembly during installation of the top VCM plate over the bottom VCM plate by clamping down on the bottom VCM plate with a force that is at least sufficient to prevent the bottom VCM plate from moving when the top VCM plate is installed over the bottom VCM plate.

Abstract: A comb gripper is disclosed for use in the assembly of a disk drive. The comb gripper may be used to push a comb tower of a shipping comb such that a head stack assembly (HSA) of the disk drive is rotated and a head gimbal assembly (HGA) of the disk drive is coupled to a ramp of the disk drive. The comb gripper may comprise: a first gripper finger that includes a protruding portion; a second gripper finger; and an actuator. The actuator may be configured to move the first and second gripper fingers, wherein the actuator is configured to move the protruding portion of the first gripper finger to contact the comb tower and to push the comb tower and the shipping comb such that the HSA is rotated and the HGA is coupled to the ramp.

Abstract: A balancer swivel arm assembly includes an articulated arm configured to be pivotably attached to a work station at a proximal end. A linear slider is slidably mounted on a distal end of the articulated arm. A spring balancer is mounted on the distal end of the articulated arm and is coupled to the linear slider. The spring balancer is configured to support the linear slider and a tool mounted to the linear slider through a linear range of motion along an axis.

Abstract: A system for fastening a head stack to a hard drive base assembly (HDBA) comprises a threaded head stack pivot (THSP) having a socket defined therein. The socket comprises a proximal portion defined by inner walls arranged parallel to a longitudinal axis of the socket and a distal portion having a width less than a width of the proximal portion and forming a ledge adjacent to the proximal portion. The system also comprises a bit for driving the THSP into an HDBA. The bit comprises a head comprising contact surfaces arranged parallel to a longitudinal axis of the bit and tapered surfaces extending from respective contact surfaces to a distal end of the bit. The bit is configured to engage the ledge at seams formed between adjacent tapered surfaces and to engage the inner walls with respective contact surfaces when driving the THSP into the HDBA.

Abstract: An assembly tool is provided. The assembly tool comprises a body, a first vacuum channel defined within the body, and a first locating pin attached to the body. The first locating pin has a shaft portion arranged within a surrounding portion of the body. The first locating pin is configured to engage a first alignment feature of a hard drive component at a first contact area to align the hard drive component with the assembly tool. The body is configured to couple the first vacuum channel to a vacuum source and to facilitate particle evacuation from the first contact area via the first vacuum channel when a vacuum is applied by the vacuum source.

Abstract: An assembly tool calibration verification system includes a hard drive component gauge (HDCG), a vision system, a controller, and a gripper assembly. The HDCG includes a first vision detection feature. The vision system is configured to capture an image of the HDCG. The controller is configured to determine a position of the HDCG based on the first vision detection feature in the captured image of the HDCG. The gripper assembly is configured to pick the HDCG from a tray and is positioned for picking the HDCG from the tray based on the determined position of the HDCG. The controller is further configured to generate a calibration verification signal based on at least one of determining the position of the HDCG by the controller and picking the HDCG from the tray by the gripper assembly.

Abstract: An assembly tool is provided. The assembly tool comprises a body and a gripper mount slidably mounted to the body with a first actuator. The first actuator is configured to slide the gripper mount from a first position to a second position along an axis. The assembly tool also comprises a gripper assembly slidably mounted to the gripper mount with a second actuator. The second actuator is configured to facilitate displacement of the gripper assembly with respect to the gripper mount along the axis. The assembly tool also comprises an encoder configured to indicate a displacement distance between an expected position and an actual position of the gripper assembly with respect to the gripper mount along the axis when the gripper mount is in the second position.

Abstract: A balancer swivel arm assembly includes an articulated arm configured to be pivotably attached to a work station at a proximal end. A linear slider is slidably mounted on a distal end of the articulated arm. A spring balancer is mounted on the distal end of the articulated arm and is coupled to the linear slider. The spring balancer is configured to support the linear slider and a tool mounted to the linear slider through a linear range of motion along an axis.

Abstract: An assembly tool is provided. The assembly tool comprises a body, a first vacuum channel defined within the body, and a first locating pin attached to the body. The first locating pin has a shaft portion arranged within a surrounding portion of the body. The first locating pin is configured to engage a first alignment feature of a hard drive component at a first contact area to align the hard drive component with the assembly tool. The body is configured to couple the first vacuum channel to a vacuum source and to facilitate particle evacuation from the first contact area via the first vacuum channel when a vacuum is applied by the vacuum source.

Abstract: A gripper assembly is provided. The gripper assembly comprises an actuator and a plurality of gripper fingers. The plurality of gripper fingers are slidably mounted on the actuator. The actuator is configured to slide each of the plurality of gripper fingers along a respective radial path perpendicular to a central axis of the gripper assembly. Each of the plurality of gripper fingers comprises a body and a vacuum evacuation path defined within the body. The body is configured to couple the vacuum evacuation path to a vacuum source and to evacuate particles from a grip area of the gripper assembly via the vacuum evacuation path when a vacuum is applied by the vacuum source.

Abstract: An electric screwdriver assembly includes a body portion, a screwdriver and a vacuum coupling assembly. The body portion defines a screw conduit therethrough which has a distal end and at least one opening spaced apart from the distal end. The screwdriver is disposed within the body portion and includes a free end facing the distal end of the screw conduit that defines a screwdriver bit. The screwdriver bit is moveable through the screw conduit between a position proximal from the opening and a position distal from the opening. The vacuum coupling assembly is configured to couple to a vacuum generator to the body portion in order to generate a partial vacuum within the screw conduit through the opening to substantially align the screw with the at least one opening.