Abstract: An apparatus for automated inspection and repair of a tube sheet. The apparatus has a rotating gripper pod, comprising at least one tube gripper, a sliding body portion containing the gripper pod; a housing portion comprising at least one tube gripper and a tool head coupling. The tool head coupling swapably attaches to a eddy current test probe and at least one kind of tube repair tool. Novel, auto-locking tube grippers are also disclosed. A serial bus connects electronic modules within the apparatus and also connects the apparatus to an external controller.

Abstract: An apparatus for automated inspection and repair of a tube sheet. The apparatus has a rotating gripper pod, comprising at least one tube gripper, a sliding body portion containing the gripper pod; a housing portion comprising at least one tube gripper and a tool head coupling. The tool head coupling swapably attaches to a eddy current test probe and at least one kind of tube repair tool. Novel, auto-locking tube grippers are also disclosed. A serial bus connects electronic modules within the apparatus and also connects the apparatus to an external controller.

Abstract: Systems and methods for testing magnetic media disks during manufacturing using sliders with temperature sensors are provided. One such method involves scanning a surface of a selected disk of a plurality of magnetic media disks using a slider including a magnetic transducer and a temperature sensor, counting a number of the surfaces scanned, determining, during the scanning, whether a threshold crossing event has occurred by determining whether a signal from the temperature sensor signal is not within a preselected range, counting, during the scanning, a number of threshold crossing events, storing, if the number of threshold crossing events is greater than a preselected events limit, the number of surfaces scanned, stopping, if the number of surfaces scanned is greater than a surfaces scanned threshold, the scanning, and returning, if the number of surfaces scanned is less than or equal to the surfaces scanned threshold, to scan a next selected disk.

Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk comprising a plurality of data tracks, and a head actuated over the disk, the head comprising an asperity sensor operable to generate a sensor signal having a magnitude based on a bias setting of the asperity sensor. The asperity sensor is configured with a first bias setting and a first asperity on the disk is detected based on the sensor signal generated at the first bias setting. The asperity sensor is configured with a second bias setting different from the first bias setting and a second asperity on the disk is detected based on the sensor signal generated at the second bias setting.

Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk, the head comprising a touchdown sensor comprising a resistance. A bias signal is applied at a reference value to the touchdown sensor at a reference temperature, and a corresponding reference resistance of the touchdown sensor is measured. An operating value for the bias signal is generated based on a predetermined operating temperature of the touchdown sensor, the reference resistance, the reference temperature, and a thermal coefficient of resistance (TCR) of the touchdown sensor, wherein the TCR specifies a change in temperature of the touchdown sensor relative to a change in the resistance of the touchdown sensor.

Abstract: An apparatus for automated inspection and repair of a tube sheet. The apparatus has a rotating gripper pod, comprising at least one tube gripper, a sliding body portion containing the gripper pod; a housing portion comprising at least one tube gripper and a tool head coupling. The tool head coupling swapably attaches to a eddy current test probe and at least one kind of tube repair tool. Novel, auto-locking tube grippers are also disclosed. A serial bus connects electronic modules within the apparatus and also connects the apparatus to an external controller.

Abstract: An apparatus for automated inspection and repair of a tube sheet. The apparatus has a rotating gripper pod, comprising at least one tube gripper, a sliding body portion containing the gripper pod; a housing portion comprising at least one tube gripper and a tool head coupling. The tool head coupling swapably attaches to a eddy current test probe and at least one kind of tube repair tool. Novel, auto-locking tube grippers are also disclosed. A serial bus connects electronic modules within the apparatus and also connects the apparatus to an external controller.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed comprising a thermal sensor operable to detect at least one protrusion defect and at least one recess defect on a disk, the thermal sensor operable to generate a sensor signal. An attack time of the sensor signal is measured when the thermal sensor passes over one of the protrusion defect and the recess defect, and the protrusion defect is discriminated from the recess defect based on the attack time.

Abstract: A spin stand is disclosed comprising a spindle motor having a rotor. A first disk clamp is operable to clamp a first disk to the rotor, and a second disk clamp is operable to clamp a second disk to the rotor. An actuator is operable to clamp the second disk clamp in order to clamp the second disk to the rotor after the first disk has been clamped to the rotor.

Abstract: A method of processing disks on spin stand is disclosed, the spin stand comprising a spindle motor having a rotor. A first disk is clamped to the rotor, wherein the first disk comprises a reference servo pattern. A second disk is clamped to the rotor, and a first head is servoed over the first disk in response to the reference servo pattern in order to position a second head over the second disk at a first radial location. Data is written to the second disk at the first radial location using the second head. The second disk is removed from the rotor while the first disk remains clamped to the rotor.

Abstract: A spin stand is disclosed comprising a spindle motor having a rotor. A first disk clamp is operable to clamp a first disk to the rotor, and a second disk clamp is operable to clamp a second disk to the rotor. An actuator is operable to clamp the second disk clamp in order to clamp the second disk to the rotor after the first disk has been clamped to the rotor.

Abstract: A method of processing disks on spin stand is disclosed, the spin stand comprising a spindle motor having a rotor. A first disk is clamped to the rotor, wherein the first disk comprises a reference servo pattern. A second disk is clamped to the rotor, and a first head is servoed over the first disk in response to the reference servo pattern in order to position a second head over the second disk at a first radial location. Data is written to the second disk at the first radial location using the second head. The second disk is removed from the rotor while the first disk remains clamped to the rotor.

Abstract: A dual encoder motion control system for high speed and high resolution motion control of a spindle is described.

Abstract: An apparatus for automated inspection and repair of a tube sheet. The apparatus has a rotating gripper pod, comprising at least one tube gripper, a sliding body portion containing the gripper pod; a housing portion comprising at least one tube gripper and a tool head coupling. The tool head coupling swapably attaches to a eddy current test probe and at least one kind of tube repair tool. Novel, auto-locking tube grippers are also disclosed. A serial bus connects electronic modules within the apparatus and also connects the apparatus to an external controller.

Abstract: An optical test head comprises one or more detectors for providing output signals indicative of the condition of a workpiece surface. Data from these detectors are stored in one or more memories only when the data from the detectors satisfy one or more conditions (e.g. the data exceed than a particular threshold). The data are then passed from the one or more memories to an electrical circuit for processing. In addition, location information is stored in one or more memories and passed on to the electrical circuit when the data from the detectors satisfy the one or more conditions.

Abstract: An optical test head comprises one or more optical input paths by which a beam of light is communicated from a light source to a workpiece and one or more optical output paths by which light reflected off of the workpiece is communicated to a detector. The input optical path and the output optical path can include one or more mirrors and one or more lenses. At least one of the optical paths includes a layer for trapping and/or absorbing stray light. One or more of the lenses includes an anti-reflective coating for reducing noise caused by unwanted light reflection off of the lenses. The optical paths include one or more masks reducing stray light. The one or more masks can have an adjustable aperture (e.g. an iris).

Abstract: Apparatus for simultaneously optically inspecting top and bottom surfaces of a workpiece comprise upper and lower test heads, each head comprising at least one laser for providing a laser beam that scans its associated workpiece surface and at least one detector for detecting reflected laser light. The directions of the laser beams are selected so as to reduce or prevent cross-talk interference between the upper and lower test heads.

Abstract: An optical test head comprises a block of material with a plurality of optical paths extending therethrough. At least one of the optical paths is an input optical path for receiving laser light and holding a lens for focusing the laser light on a workpiece that is proximate the head. At least another of the optical paths is an output path for receiving light that is reflected off of the workpiece and providing that light to a detector. (In one embodiment, several detectors are provided to direct specularly reflected light, narrow angle scattered light, wide angle scattered light and back scattered light to associated detectors.) Other optical elements can be affixed within or to the block of material. The test head can be used without requiring the individual optical elements to be aligned or adjusted.

Abstract: An optical test head comprises a laser source for providing a laser beam. The laser beam passes through a cylindrical lens for modifying the shape of the beam and a spherical lens for concentrating the beam onto a workpiece (typically a magnetic disk platter). The cylindrical lens both a) elongates the laser beam along the radial direction of the platter (by reducing the effective numerical aperture in the radial direction); and b) causes the beam to be out of focus in the radial direction (although the beam is typically in focus in the circumferential direction). The size of the beam in the radial direction is substantially insensitive to the position of the cylindrical lens.

Abstract: A manufacturing cell for inspecting workpieces such as magnetic disk substrates comprises an input conveyor for providing workpieces to be tested, one or more testers for inspecting the workpieces, and three or more output receptacles for receiving tested workpieces. One or more robotic arms move the workpieces from the input conveyor to the tester and from the tester to one of the output receptacles depending upon the results of the test performed by the tester. The output receptacles include a pass receptacle, a reject receptacle, and at least an additional receptacle for workpieces that are to be re-worked or studied further. If the additional receptacle is full, workpieces that would otherwise be provided to the additional bin are placed in the reject receptacle. The reject receptacle is very large, so that it is rarely filled to capacity.