Effects of constrained-layer damping on the dynamics of a Type 4 in-line head suspension

Experimental frequency-response functions were obtained for several Type 4 inline suspension assemblies with lateral excitation. Mode shapes are described for all the modes observed between 1 and 15 kHz. The effect of a constrained-layer damper on several of the most important modes is described. It is shown that the damper is not an optimal solution for reducing the amplitude of the sway mode for the Type 4 inline suspension. It is also shown that the partial effectiveness of the damper for the sway mode results primarily from the damper region near the base of the suspension, and that the tip region of the damper has a negligible contribution towards energy dissipation for this mode. Of the load beam modes investigated, the sway mode was most affected by the addition of mass to the slider