Outsource the design, development and manufacturing of your custom equipment with the lowest risk.

Data Storage Manufacturing Equipment Design & Build

We are the premier custom factory equipment provider for the assembly and manufacturing of data storage devices. Over 60% of the world’ current media for data storage is processed by equipment using Owens Designs’ media handling solutions. We have developed a comprehensive family of solutions from high throughput linear tracks to ultra-precise vacuum chuck loading to cassette-less wet process cleaning.

  • Metrology and inspection equipment
  • Pre-sputter front end cleaning solutions, PVA scrub, ultrasonics, megasonics, and IPA vapor drying
  • Post-sputter lube, activation, and buffing equipment
  • Final assembly HDD test handling, data storage server assembly

Our capabilities include:

  • Media handling: ID mandrels, grippers, suction cups; OD handling saddles, grippers, and vacuum paddles; all form factors, Al and Glass substrates
  • Cassette handling: process, shipping, lidding, custom cassettes
  • Single disk and batch processing, cassette-less 50 disk transfers
  • ESD, cleanroom, and chemical compatibility
  • Meeting all regulatory requirements

Recent Projects

  • IPA vapor dryer (Marangoni Drying), 50 discs, cassette-less, fully automated lid and disc transfer to overhead gantry.
  • Tape burnish system, multi-head, constant radial velocity, 48 – 95 mm form factors.
  • Surface inspection handling system, automatic form factor change, cassette buffering, random slot access, particulate and vibration environmental control.
  • Lubrication bonding activation system, UV light exposure, cassette buffering and management, 1,000 pph.
  • Nanoimprint mastering and replication handling system, quartz mask and disc media, optical pre-alignment to 50 um, integrated cassette management, disk swapping end effector, ULPA environmental control.
  • HDD array burn-in tester loading system, factory interface module, incorporating 6 docking locations, interface to gantry robot.
  • Data server assembly workstation, 4-axis and 6 axis robots, machine vision, screw driving, multi-end effector tool exchange, force tracking for component insertion.