AccuLuber

The AccuLuber™ is Intevac’s latest vacuum vapor deposition system that enables manufacturers to uniformly apply a thin lubricant on disks in a controlled environment. This eliminates the use of solvents during the lubrication process, which are environmentally hazardous and are expensive to procure, store and dispose. Disk lubrication is the manufacturing step that follows magnetic films deposition. During lubrication, a microscopic layer of lubricant is applied to the disk’s surface to improve durability and reduce surface friction between the disk and the head assembly. AccuLuber’s superior vapor process capability creates a uniform lube coating without any defects related to lube droplets, ripples or puddles.

The AccuLuber has two lubricating process chambers that can run simultaneously for higher throughput and redundancy. Each disk is lifted into a process chamber, where the vaporized lubricant passes through diffuser plates positioned on each side of the chamber to allow the lubricant to be deposited on both sides of the disk simultaneously. The diffuser plates’ holed pattern ensures lubricant uniformity. The rate of deposition is continuously monitored and can be adjusted by controlling the heat applied.

For ease of serviceability, all electronics and pumps are located on board. In addition, the system occupies the same footprint as the conventional gravity-drained lubers. The system is ergonomically designed, process efficient and compliant with industry safety standards. With a throughput of over 1200 dph, the AccuLuber lowers total cost of ownership and achieves the highest return on investment.