Mechatronics in storage technology

Storage technology is an essential part of computing. The most common device currently in use to store data is the direct access storage device (DASD) or disk drives as they are commonly known. Since their inception in 1956, DASD's have undergone a revolutionary change, and now several generations later store, retrieve, and archive massive quantities of data reliably at a rate (data rate) that renders "real-time" computing, graphical display, and other forms of data processing possible. The demand for data storage continues to increase very rapidly and therefore, the designers of disk drives continue to push the limits and find new frontiers in recording. At the same time, new methods of recording to increase the data densities and data rate are being pursued. Phase change optical recording and magneto-optical recording show promise for data storage for multimedia applications on one hand and inexpensive storage and retrieval devices such as magnetic tape drives are in wide use for common storage needs where data rate is of little significance. In designing of these devices, expertise in many disciplines such as electromagnetics, mechanics, tribology, heat and mass transfer, mechanical design and dynamics of mechanisms is required and the design process is very complicated. In this article, we will study how these disciplines come together and are linked together. Thus Mechatronics in the disk drives applications means study of interactive effects of disciplines listed above.