Currently our design engineering team uses a fairly extensive and well established set of Ansys analysis routines. While these analysis methods are fairly well standardized, the actual model generation has not been standardized to date. Depending on the individual designers skills and preferences, there are a variety of methods being employed for getting the geometry into Ansys for analysis. The model generation may also be affected by which analysis the engineer intends to run. Through the use of process manager we are working to introduce a more standardized as well as streamlined approach to model generation. This will allow us to cut model generation and iteration time for experienced users as well as automatically building in features so that each initial model contains everything needed to be used with our standard analysis routines. It will also have an added benefit of cutting training time for newer users, as well as broadening the amount of users that can create a useful FEA model for design engineering.

1. Using Process Manager To
Streamline And Standardize FEM
Generation
Gary Berscheit
Seagate Technology

2. Introduction To Seagate

3. Seagate: Storage Leader
• Seagate is the world’s leading provider of storage devices.
– Q2 FY2012*: 47 million drives shipped; revenue of $3.2 billion
• Provides storage for enterprise, desktop, mobile
computing, consumer electronics and retail markets
– Builds hard disk, solid state hybrid and solid state drives
– Broadest product offering in the industry – largest customer base
• 53,700** employees worldwide
• Recently Demonstrated 1TB per square Inch!!
– Potential to enable 60 TB drives
®
* For second fiscal quarter ended December 30, 2011
** Includes interns, contractors, and agency temps
Momentus XT - State Hybrid Drive

4. Seagate Global Presence
Springtown, N. Ireland
Dublin, Ireland
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Shakopee, MN
Bloomington, MN Munchen, Germany
Paris, France Beijing, China Suwon, South Korea
Marlow, UK
Shrewsbury, MA Tokyo, Japan
Wuxi, China
Fremont, CA
Cupertino, CA Delhi, India
Scotts Valley, CA Oklahoma City, OK Teparuk & Korat, Thailand Taiwan
Longmont, CO
Johor & Penang, Malaysia
Ang Mo Kio, Singapore
Science Park, Singapore
Woodlands, Singapore
Sydney, Australia
HQs, Admin and/or Sales Customer Support
Design Drive & Component Mfg

5. HDD Suspension Introduction

6. Suspension Component
Cantilever spring component at the end of the actuator
• Connects the rigid actuator to the recording head
• Must hold the head very close and very precisely over the
media (disk)
– Very Close!!

7. Suspension Assembly
• Laminated Circuit Component
• Thin, formed sheet metal component
• Stamped “base” component for mounting
• Damper applied via adhesive
• Small Piezo-electric components applied via epoxy

8. Finite Element Model

9. Model Complexities
Main Concerns For Model Generation
• Complex geometry of laminated circuit
– Currently use coincident mesh through all layers
• Attachment of multiple components
– Mesh needs to match up between components for defining attach
points (welds)
• Component partitions used for auto detect/selection in
downstream analysis routines

10. Current FEM Generation Approaches
Multiple approaches depending on component,
desired analysis, and individual designer
• Midsurface of 3D Cad for iges import
• Ideas
• Extruding in Ansys using 2D AutoCAD import
• Hypermesh
Non Standardized Models!

11. Process Manager Solution

12. Vision
Goal is to provide an improved FEM generation tool that will
be the preferred method of engineers
• Fast
– Cut model generation time for existing users
– Cut new hire training time
• Easy To Use
– User “buy-in”
» Need to be easier than current methods
– Broaden user base
» Techs could provide FE model to design engineer
• Standardized
– Incorporate all existing best practices
– Prep model with proper features for downstream analysis routines
– All models created with the same method, and contain same
features, material props, etc.

13. Process Manager Demo
Step by step check
box guide
Demo Section
“Command Pane”
with logical, user
centric interface

14. Process Manager Demo

15. Process Manager Demo

16. Process Manager Demo

17. Process Manager Demo

18. Process Manager Demo

19. Process Manager Demo

20. Summary: So How Did We Do
• Fast?
– Generation time should be cut significantly
• Easy To Use?
– Step by step guided creation
– Little to no Hypermesh experience required
• Standardized?
– Dependent on user “Buy-In”

21. Thank You!