Use of common head slider for different RPM hard disk drives

1 . A method of manufacturing a plurality of hard disk drives, the method comprising:

assembling a first hard disk drive (HDD) comprising a first head slider having a first air bearing surface (ABS) configuration corresponding to a particular baseline fly height at a corresponding particular revolutions-per-minute (RPM);

configuring the first HDD to rotate corresponding first disk media at a particular first RPM at which, prior to assembly, components of the first HDD are configured to operate;

hermetically sealing the first HDD forming a substantially impermeable container having an internal pressure at a first pressure level configured and maintained therein;

assembling a second hard disk drive (HDD) comprising a second head slider having a second air bearing surface (ABS) configuration substantially the same as the first ABS configuration corresponding to the particular baseline fly height at the corresponding particular RPM;

configuring the second HDD to rotate corresponding second disk media at a particular second RPM at which, prior to assembly, components of the second HDD are configured to operate, wherein the second RPM is lower than the first RPM; and

hermetically sealing the second HDD forming a substantially impermeable container having an internal pressure at a second pressure level configured and maintained therein that is higher than the first pressure level such that each of the first and the second head sliders operates substantially at the particular baseline fly height while operating at the different first and second RPMs.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second head slider is substantially the same as the first head slider.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second head sliders is formed according to a same fabrication process.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second HDDs is formed according to a same manufacturing process and configured with the same constituent components.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

prior to hermetically sealing the first HDD, filling the first HDD with a first lighter-than-air gas; and

prior to hermetically sealing the second HDD, filling the second HDD with a second lighter-than-air gas.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein each of the first and second lighter-than-air gases comprises helium.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

hermetically sealing the first HDD includes hermetically sealing the first HDD with a first lighter-than-air gas inside; and

hermetically sealing the second HDD includes hermetically sealing the second HDD with a second lighter-than-air gas inside.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein each of the first and second lighter-than-air gases is composed of helium.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

assembling the second HDD includes, prior to hermetically sealing the second HDD with an internal pressure at the second pressure level, temporarily sealing the second HDD with an internal pressure at the first pressure level.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

configuring the first HDD to rotate corresponding first disk media at a first RPM comprises configuring the first HDD to rotate the corresponding first disk media at only the first RPM for data operations; and

configuring the second HDD to rotate corresponding second disk media at a second RPM comprises configuring the second HDD to rotate the corresponding second disk media at only the second RPM for data operations.

11 . A data storage system comprising:

a first hard disk drive (HDD) comprising a first head slider having a first air bearing surface (ABS) configuration corresponding to a particular baseline fly height at a corresponding particular revolutions-per-minute (RPM), wherein the first HDD is hermetically sealed to form a substantially impermeable container having a first internal pressure level maintained therein and is configured to operate by rotating corresponding first disk media at a particular first RPM at which, prior to assembly, components of the first HDD are configured to operate; and

a second hard disk drive (HDD) comprising a second head slider having a second air bearing surface (ABS) configuration substantially the same as the first ABS configuration corresponding to the particular baseline fly height at the corresponding particular RPM, wherein the second HDD is hermetically sealed to form a substantially impermeable container having a second internal pressure level maintained therein higher than the first internal pressure level and is configured to operate by rotating corresponding second disk media at a particular second RPM at which, prior to assembly, components of the second HDD are configured to operate, wherein the second RPM is lower than the first RPM such that each of the first and the second head sliders operates substantially at the particular baseline fly height while operating at the different first and second RPMs.

12 . The data storage system of claim 11 , wherein:

the second head slider is substantially the same as the first head slider; and

each of the first and second head sliders is formed according to a same fabrication process.

13 . The data storage system of claim 11 , wherein:

the first HDD is filled with a first lighter-than-air gas;

the first HDD is hermetically-sealed with the first lighter-than-air gas inside;

the second HDD is filled with a second lighter-than-air gas; and

the second HDD is hermetically-sealed with the second lighter-than-air gas inside.

14 . The data storage system of claim 13 , wherein each of the first and second lighter-than-air gases comprises helium.

15 . The data storage system of claim 13 , wherein the first and second lighter-than-air gases are composed of different gases.

16 . A method of manufacturing a plurality of hard disk drives, the method comprising:

assembling a first hard disk drive (HDD) comprising a first head slider having a first air bearing surface (ABS) configuration corresponding to a particular baseline fly height at a corresponding particular revolutions-per-minute (RPM);

configuring the first HDD with means for rotating corresponding first disk media at a particular first RPM at which, prior to assembly, components of the first HDD are configured to operate;

hermetically sealing the first HDD forming a substantially impermeable container having an internal pressure at a first pressure level configured and maintained therein;

assembling a second hard disk drive (HDD) comprising a second head slider having a second air bearing surface (ABS) configuration substantially the same as the first ABS configuration corresponding to the particular baseline fly height at the corresponding particular RPM;

configuring the second HDD with means for rotating corresponding second disk media at a particular second RPM at which, prior to assembly, components of the second HDD are configured to operate, wherein the second RPM is higher than the first RPM; and

hermetically sealing the second HDD forming a substantially impermeable container having an internal pressure at a second pressure level configured and maintained therein that is lower than the first pressure level such that each of the first and the second head sliders operates substantially at the particular baseline fly height while operating at different RPMs.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein:

each of the first and second head sliders is formed according to a same fabrication process; and

the second head slider is substantially the same as the first head slider.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

prior to hermetically sealing the first HDD, filling the first HDD with a first lighter-than-air gas; and

prior to hermetically sealing the second HDD, filling the second HDD with a second lighter-than-air gas;

wherein:

hermetically sealing the first HDD includes hermetically sealing the first HDD with the first lighter-than-air gas inside; and

hermetically sealing the second HDD includes hermetically sealing the second HDD with the second lighter-than-air gas inside.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein each of the first and second lighter-than-air gases comprises helium.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein:

configuring the first HDD with means for rotating corresponding first disk media at a first RPM comprises configuring the first HDD to rotate the corresponding first disk media at only the first RPM for data operations; and

configuring the second HDD with means for rotating corresponding second disk media at a second RPM comprises configuring the second HDD to rotate the corresponding second disk media at only the second RPM for data operations.