Flow Structural Interaction of the Actuator Arm in Hard Disk Drive

Due to the high rotational speeds of the spindle motors, the nature of the air flow in hard disk drive (HDD) is highly turbulence. This air turbulence is significant to the actuator arm due to the acting high air pressures and velocities. At the presences of this air flow dynamics, the arm of the HDD experiences the flow induced vibrations. In this paper, the fluid and structural prediction programs are used to examine the deflections of the actuator arm. The results of these deflections were compared with the published arm deflections. Close agreement between the authors' simulated results and the published results were obtained.