Veeco Instruments Inc.

Seagate Technology Incorporated

Timothy J Fleming

Steven Ernest Wheeler

Charles Newell Miller

Christopher Ray Holloman

Jeffrey J Hohn

Klaus Obergfell

In one implementation, an assembly for testing a head gimbal assembly comprises a rotatable test disc, a mounting surface configured to mount the head gimbal assembly, and a shroud covering the head gimbal assembly. The mounting surface is located in proximity to the test disc to facilitate loading the head gimbal assembly on the test disc. The shroud is configured to shield the head gimbal assembly from airflow produced when the test disc rotates.

Shroud for head gimbal assembly testing

A calibration method for calibrating a parts-handling device with respect to a computer vision camera includes the steps of moving a parts-handling device into contact with a touch-off block, and storing a value indicative of the position of the parts-handling device when it is in contact with the touch-off block. In addition, there may be two orthogonal surface on the touch-off block. By touching the parts-handling device against both surfaces, the parts-handling device can be calibrated for position offset in two orthogonal directions. For parts-handling devices that are rotatable, the parts-handling device may be rotated to a succession of predetermined angular positions and brought into contact with the touch-off block in each position. By combining the measured positions of the parts-handling device in each rotational position, the system can be calibrated to compensate for the offset from the camera to the parts-handling device as a function of rotational position as well.

Method and apparatus for calibrating a vision system to a parts handling device

A goniometer includes a base, a compound member supported by the base, a light-directing element operably mounted on the compound member, optically connected to a coherent light source, and disposed toward an optical filter, a first actuator disposed along a first axis and operably coupled to the base for translating the light-directing element along a first arcuate path disposed in a first plane; and a second actuator disposed along a second axis and operably coupled to the compound member for translating the light-directing element along a second arcuate path disposed in a second plane, wherein the first plane is orthogonal to the second plane, and wherein the first and second axes are co-planar, for directing coherent light at an angle that is normal to the optical filter.

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Apple Valley, MN, United States of America

Timothy J Fleming