Seagate Technology Incorporated

Ananda V Mysore

Steve G Gonzalez

Hans L Leuthold

Reid E Berry

Aspects include metrology methods and systems for determining characteristics of conical shaft portions, such as angle of taper and crown height. In an example, a metrology system includes a fixture for supporting a workpiece. The fixture provides for translation in a longitudinal dimension, and rotation about an axis of symmetry. The system may include a sensor mounted for scanning lines including sections of the workpiece as well as control logic for coordinating translation of the workpiece to provide for an approximately constant ratio of longitudinal translation and lines scanned during scanning operations. The system may include image logic for assembling an image from image data generated during each scanning operation, edge detection logic for detecting an edge shape in each assembled image, and slope and crown height calculation logic for calculating a slope and a crown height of each of the detected edge shapes.

Shaft cone crown measurement system and methodology

A metrology system for measuring a cone angle, a cone straightness, and a cone quality of a sample and method of using the metrology system are disclosed. The system includes a rotary stage, one or more workpiece fixtures that hold the samples in the rotary stage, and a number of different sized measurement devices. The measuring devices are positioned next to the rotary stage and measure the samples using contact. The rotary stage is free to rotate when the measuring devices are in a non-measuring state. The invention also includes a processor that collects data from the measurement devices and calculates the cone angle, the cone straightness, and the cone quality of each sample based on the data.

Sleeve cone quality measurement system and method

A metrology system comprises a support structure, a fixture having a bottom surface resting on a surface of the support structure and moveable relative to the support structure, and a first measurement assembly for interacting with a workpiece held by the fixture to measure a characteristic of the workpiece. One of the bottom surface of the fixture and the surface of the support structure comprises sapphire, and the other of the bottom surface of the fixture and the surface of the support structure comprises a metal.

Sapphire alignment fixture

For repeatably and accurately measuring characteristics of workpieces, such angle of taper of a conical cavity defined by a workpiece, examples may include a system having a stage movable in predictable and repeatable increments, and a compliancy fixture. The compliancy feature may include a sapphire to metal interface. Such examples may also include a mechanism, such as an elongate body or an arm, for alternately disposing each of a first object of a first size and a second object of a second size in the conical cavity. Examples may use spherical objects, or portions thereof. Systems further include at least one sensor for determining positions of the first and second objects in the conical cavity and logic for determining the characteristics, such the taper angle, based on the position of the first object and the second object in the conical cavity.

Sleeve cone angle measurement system

Aspects include metrology methods and systems for determining characteristics of conical shaft portions, such as angle of taper. In an example, a metrology system includes a fixture for supporting a workpiece. The fixture provides for translation in a longitudinal dimension, and rotation about an axis of symmetry. The system may include a sensor mounted for scanning lines including sections of the workpiece as well as control logic for coordinating translation of the workpiece to provide for an approximately constant ratio of longitudinal translation and lines scanned during scanning operations. The system may include image logic for assembling an image from image data generated during each scanning operation; edge detection logic for detecting at least one edge shape in each assembled image; and slope calculation logic for calculating a slope of each of the at least one detected edge shape.

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Ananda V Mysore