Mark,
<<It would seem to me that the reason for going to China is cheap labor. Is the actual production of heads that labor intensive?>>
Very. The entire HGA (HEAD GIMBAL ASSEMBLY) is done by manual labor in a clean room. This includes bonding the SLIDER to the pads on the flexure, and wiring the flex circuit. After that process there is the HSA (HEAD STACK ASSY) which requires a manual assembly of the e-blocks HGAs, and an actuator into a sub assembly. It is quite a process, including the vertical aligning of the heads in the stack assy. It is very delicate work and the companies guard there best assemblers jealously. Sliders are what Read-Rite makes in California for shipment to SEA. Sliders are made after the WAFER is sliced and diced into the little bitty sliders. So, in summary , head manufacturing consist of Wafer Fab, Slider fab, HGA assy, and then HSA assy (yes, I know these latter two terms seem redundant but it is the terminology used). Many many steps, all very critical, most "high tech". And all of it striving to get a decent yield at final. Quite an amazing thing IMO.
best,
Stitch |
