Abstract: A lubricant is applied to swage contact surfaces in a disk drive of the type including a suspension arm connected to an actuator arm by a swaging process. A preferred thin film lubricant may be applied to the contact surfaces by immersion and draining, immersion and raising the part out of the solution, localized spraying, or various deposition processes. Application of the lubricant reduces chipping during de-swaging, particularly with nickel plated metal components. Application of the lubricant has also shown to improve gram load uniformity, reduce adverse distortion to the actuator assembly and reduces torque out retention values. Improved gram load uniformity enhances overall disk drive functioning, reduced distortion preserves intended attitude and flatness of the actions for assembly and reduced torque out retention values improves reworkability of the disk drive.

Abstract: A method is provided for assembling an actuator assembly of a disk drive. The method includes providing an actuator arm, providing a suspension arm, fixing a swage plate to the suspension arm, the swage plate including a swage boss extending therefrom, depositing a film lubricant upon at least an outer surface of the swage boss, and attaching the suspension arm to the actuator arm by swaging. A method is also provided for reducing torque out retention values between the actuator arm and the suspension arm when the actuator arm and suspension arm must be separated in a subsequent de-swaging process. This method includes providing an outer surface of the swage boss, and applying a lubricant film coating to the outer surface of the swage boss. A preferred thin film lubricant may be applied by emersion and draining, localized spraying, or various deposition processes.