Application Note: 3D-LV Application For Drive Suspension Modal Test

The task of performing a full modal test of disk drive suspensions has historically presented a number of obstacles. Mainly, the lack of three-dimensional information and the resulting amount of time required to test have made this a cost intensive procedure. One that is indispensable as well in an industry with ever increasing pressure to improve performance while slashing costs. By using the innovative 3DLV vibrometer from Polytec PI, measurement of the complete motion of a suspension or actuator arm can be accomplished and the results obtained provide three-dimensional characterization over the entire structure. Further test time reduction is achieved with an integrated 3DLV scanning system employing Polytec PI's positioning products and expertise. The result is a system with unparalleled capability. Furthermore, the scanning portion of the system can easily adapted for use with the large number of fiber LDV sensors so prevalent in the disk drive test field.