Operational shock is one of key challenges for designing the ultrathin mobile hard disk drives (HDDs) due to the reduced thickness of mechanical components and their stiffness. Some simplifications in the conventional methods for operational shock simulation are not valid. In this paper, a method for system level modelling and simulation of operational shock response of HDDs has been proposed by coupling the structural finite element model of the HDD and the air bearing model. The dynamic shock response of the head-disk system in a 5 mm ultrathin HDD design is investigated. The effects of drive base stiffness, disk-ramp contact, disk spinning and disk distortion have been studied. The results reveal that the drive base deformation and ramp
contact are critical for the operational shock resistance performance of ultrathin drives.