How to Use a Wood Material in Computer Hard Disk Drives - Coursework Example

How to use a Wood Material in Computer Hard Disk Drives Number How to Usea Wood Material in Computer Hard Disk Drives I. Introduction Hard disk drives, also known as HDD, are the data centre of the computer. This means that a hard disk is the primary device where all data and programs are stored and retrieved (Warwick, 2010). It utilizes the magnetic recording technology whereby data is recorded by the magnetization of a very thin film made of a ferromagnetic material. A hard disk drive is made up of aluminum and a mixture of other non-biodegradable materials. These two components are expensive; hence, it is essential to come up with new, cheap and easily available materials to be used as alternatives in the manufacture of hard disks. This will result in a decline in the cost of producing and installing the hard disks. Wood is a cheap and readily available product that can be used in the manufacture of hard disks. The use of wood materials will allow for the production of affordable hard disk drives, as well as increase the efficiency of hard drives. This report will demonstrate how wood can be used as an alternative material in the manufacture of effective and efficient hard disks. To start with, the report will discuss the main components of a hard drive, the function and choice of material of each part. II. Breakdown of the Main Parts of the Hard Disk and the Function of Each Part The computer hard drive is made up of several components with different functions, as discussed below. These internal components are very sensitive to dirt and dust and, therefore, hard drives should never be opened (Born, 1997). The following figure shows the major components of a hard disk. Figure 1: Components of a hard drive 1. Cover It is also known as the drive casing and it is rectangular box that holds and covers all the internal components of the hard drive (Born, 1997). It also helps in mounting the drive on the computer casing using screws. 2. Spindle It contains a motor and it rotates the platters at a specific speed that is measured in revolutions per minute (RPM). It also helps in holding the platters together. The spindles may rotate at speeds ranging from 4800 to 7200 RPM. The speed of rotation increases with the increase in file size and speed of transfer (Braun, 2009). 3. Platters They are located at the centre of the disk and are used to store the computer data. The number of platters in a disk may vary depending on the capacity of the disk. They are made from a non-magnetic material, mostly aluminum alloy, ceramic or glass (Hdd-tool, 2010). Aluminum alloy was initially used but today the desire for higher density has resulted in the use of glass platters. Glass platters are also preferred since they are more stable thermally and offer greater rigidity (Born, 1997). All platters are coated with a layer of a magnetic material and an outer layer of Carbon for protection purposes. The platters are rotated by the spindle at a certain speed resulting in creation of air pressure that is responsible for lifting the read and write heads of the platters. In the event of more than one platter on a single drive, the distance between the platters is usually very precise. Data on the drive may be lost forever if the platters gets misaligned (Born, 1997). 4. Read and Write Heads They are also known as heads and they read and write magnetic information to and from the platter. The heads read data more efficiently the more close they are to the platter. However, a close-mounted head may have contact with the platter and this may damage the disk and the information stored in it (IBM, 2000). 5. Actuator Arms They move the read and write heads to the suitable area of the platter. The head of the hard disk is mounted on the actuator arm and it moves it in order to read and write data correctly (Lamberton, 2007). It also helps in keeping the head at an optimal distance from the platter so as to protect the disk as well as preserve its speed and efficiency. The actuator arms are moved by the actuator mechanism by use of either a motor or a magnetic coil (Braun, 2009). 6. Hard Disk Logic Board It is also known as the electronics board. This is a circuit board incorporated into the hard drive unit and it is mounted on bottom of the hard drive case. The function of the hard disk logic board is to receive electronic impulses from the other computer unit and relay the necessary instructions to the spindle and the read/write heads so that the required data can be read or stored (Lamberton, 2007). They provide a connection with other computer system unit through the input/output ports. It also contains firmware information that instructs the hardware on how to function. Hard drive logic boards have different firmware and therefore cannot be switched out despite having the same model number (Campardo et al., 2011). The hard disk logic board and the read/write heads are linked by use of a flexible ribbon cable (Lamberton, 2007). The hard disk logic board also houses the hard drive input/output connectors. There are two types of connectors on a hard drive; one for power input and the other for data exchange between the hard drive and the computer, also known as interface (Braun, 2009). 7. Air Filters Hard disks have two air filters: recirculation filter and breather filter. The recirculating filter filters all tiny particles scrapped off the platter while the breather filter allows for equalization of pressure. Having discussed the main components of a hard drive, this report will now discuss the choice of materials used in the manufacture of hard disk and how a wood material may be used. III. The Choice of Materials for Each Part of the Appliance The kind of material to be used in the manufacture of hard disks should be keenly chosen. This is because the internal components of a hard drive are very delicate and sensitive and therefore the chosen material should conform to the data transmission. A normal hard disk is made up of two electric motors, a disk motor that spins the disk and an actuator motor that positions the read/write heads in the required position across the spinning disk so as to read or record the necessary data (Rubtsov, 2009). Data storage and transmission is done by using the magnetic field concept and this is very critical since it enhances the reliability of the material. The internal parts of the hard drive are very delicate and sensitive to dirt, dust and fingerprints and, therefore, the hard disk should be well enclosed and kept in a clean environment. This is because a small volume of dirt on the disk platter is enough to damage all the data on the disk. a) Current Designs Currently, hard disks are made of thin layers of materials. It is also vital to include various materials for protection of the hard disk, as well as mounting. Hard disks use magnetic materials for the purpose of data storage and transfer. These materials are then supported by use of non-magnetic materials that protect the internal components of the hard disk from any contaminants, such as dust, that may damage the drive or the data stored in it. As explained earlier, platters are made of magnetic materials and are very important in the hard disk. The reading and writing speeds of hard disks has been enhanced by the current adoption of Solid State Drives that have few or no moving parts (Schultz, 2007). This solid state drives use silicon as the medium of data transfer as opposed to the other hard disks that use magnetized platters. Modern day platters are made of aluminum, glass or ceramic substances covered with a thin layer of cobalt alloy or ferric oxide. The platters and the head assembly are then enclosed and protected using a cover made of aluminum. The aluminum cover is also where all the drive mechanics, such as spindle, are mounted. The use of metallic materials has been effective to some extent but has also been faced by various challenges, such as power loss due to over heating (Chin, 2002). Another challenge of using metallic materials is that the mounting materials used are magnetic in nature and this may make them to decompose leaving the inner components of the disk exposed. Aluminum is also expensive and this increases the cost of manufacturing hard disks, as well as their selling price. This challenges call for use of a material that will eliminate any setbacks of the material currently used for the manufacture of hard disks. In the past, wood has been used in the manufacture of USB hard disks casings and has proved to be very effective. The wooden USB casings have had many advantages over other materials such as aluminum. To start with, wooden hard disks have been proved to be friendly to the environment and, hence, have given designers an opportunity to display their contribution to conservation of the environment (Bifano and Bierden, 1997). b) Device Design Over the past few years the number of computer users has increased significantly. This has resulted in the increase in demand of hard disks (Schultz, 2007). In order to meet the high demand and still produce effective and affordable hard disks, manufactures have to use readily available materials. The material to be used should cut the cost of production and at the same time safeguard the hard disk so as to make it both effective and efficient. Wood is a readily available material; hence, its use will result in production of affordable hard disks. Wood is also an insulator hence will eliminate all heat problems previously experienced when using metallic components (Chin, 2002). The device under consideration uses a wooden material to support and hold the components of data storage and transmission in position. Wood as an insulating material will offer a board for mounting the other had disk components as well as a casing for covering the same components. The entire disk will therefore contain a drive bay that will incorporate the mounting of the disk in a wooden enclosure that will protect the inner components from air, dust and other contaminants. In this design model, the data stored in the computer will be protected by the wooden material since it will protect the read/write heads and platters form any contaminants and also protect them from crashing (Rubtsov, 2009). Wood can also be used in the frame bracket at the bottom of the disk instead of aluminum. The main advantage of wood over aluminum is that it reduces the chances of power loss due to overheating and that it also reduces the occurrence of reactive circumstances (Chin, 2002). This model will use wood as the base of the hard disk and will also be placed on top to cover and enclose the head and platters. The wooden material to be used is plywood since it will enhance the functionality of the components and take up less space in the mounting process. A wooden board of a larger width will be used at the bottom and it can be used as a logic board with a cushioning material being used to protect it from the base casting (Marino, n.d.). Wood glue will be used to seal the gaps left when joining the wooden chips and during the mounting process (Osborne, 2010). Conclusion A computer hard drive is made up of very delicate and sensitive components. It is, therefore, vital to protect these components from any contaminants and any physical damage. Some inner components, such as the platter, are magnetic and also sensitive to heat (Chin, 2002). Using a wooden material will, therefore, increase the efficiency of hard disks since wood is a bad conductor of heat and also non-magnetic, hence, will not interfere with the magnetic concept of the platters. Wood is also cheap, readily available and a poor conductor of electricity, hence, will result in production of affordable hard disks with reduced instances of power loss. Wood materials can also be used to manufacture casings for external hard drives that are durable, protective and environmental friendly (Osborne, 2010). References Bifano, T. and Bierden, P., 1997. Fixed Abrasive Grinding of Brittle Hard-Disk. London: Elsevier Science Ltd. Vol 37(7), p. 935-946. Born, D. et al., 1997. Hard Disk Drive Components and Methods of Making Same. Braun, D., 2009. The Four Major Parts of a Computer Hard Drive. Michelle McDonough (Ed.). Related Guides: Hard Drive. Campardo, G., Tiziani, F. And Iaculo, M., (EDs.) 2011. Memory Mass Storage. London: Springer Heidelberg Dordrecht. Chin, M., 2002. Effective Passive Hard Drive Cooling. Hampton, S., 1996. Process Cost Analysis for Hard Disk Manufacturing: Data Storage Globalisation Project. California: University of California. Hdd-tool, 2010. Hard Disk and Hard Drive Physical Components. IBM, 2000. Enhanced IDE Hard Disks Drive. Users Guide 2nd Ed. International Business Machines Corporation. Lamberton, R., 2007. Current-in-Plane GMR Trilayer Head Design for Hard-Disk Drives: Characterization and Extendibility. Vol. 43(2). Marino, S., (n.d.). Review of Wood of the World of CD ROM. Osborne, M., 2010. How to Build a DIY Wooden Hard Drive Enclosure. Life Hacker. Rubtsov, A., 2009. HDD From Inside: Main Parts. Schultz, B., 2007. Innovative Power Solutions - HiVERT in Hitachi Hard Disk Drives. Hitachi Global Storage Technologies. The Computer Technology Documentation Project (n.d.). Hard Drives Construction. Warwick, B., 2010. 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