Experimental verification of the optimal FDBs in a HDD spindle motor to minimize power consumption

In this paper, we experimentally verified the optimal design of the fluid dynamic bearings (FDBs) in a HDD spindle motor to minimize power consumption while maintaining the same level of dynamic performance. HDD spindle motors with optimal FDBs were prototyped, and their power consumption and dynamic characteristics were measured and compared with those of conventional ones at various operating speed. It shows that the HDD spindle motors with optimal FDBs consume less power than those of the conventional ones as predicted in the proposed optimal design methodology.