Method of manufacturing a head gimbal assembly with substantially orthogonal tab, side beam and base

1. A method of manufacture comprising:

A. obtaining a load beam having a base, at least one side beam extending from the base and at least one tab extending from the at least one side beam, wherein the base, at least one side beam and the at least one tab are substantially in a common plane;

B. attaching a flexure/slider assembly to the load beam;

C. bending the load beam between the at least one tab and the at least one side beam, such that the at least one tab is positioned out of the common plane, and such that the tab and the side beam are substantially orthogonal to one another; and

D. bending the load beam between the at least one side beam and the base, such that the at least one side beam is positioned out of the common plane, and such that both the tab and the side beam are substantially orthogonal to the base.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of obtaining the load beam comprises stamping the load beam out of a sheet of material.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of bending the load beam between the at least one tab and the at least one side beam comprises bending the at least one tab in a first direction so the at least one tab is in a position substantially perpendicular to the common plane.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of bending the load beam between the at least one side beam and the base comprises bending the at least one side beam in the first direction so that the at least one side beam is in a position substantially perpendicular to the common plane.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the load beam further comprises a lower surface and wherein the step of attaching the flexure/slider assembly to the load beam comprises attaching the flexure/slider to the lower surface of the load beam.

6. The method of manufacture of claim 1 wherein the load beam includes a lifter tab portion and the method further comprises deforming the lifter tab portion to form a lifter tab.

7. The method of manufacture of claim 6 wherein the base and the lifter tab portion are integral.

8. The method of manufacture of claim 1 wherein obtaining the load beam includes stamping the load beam from a sheet.

9. The method of manufacture of claim 1 wherein bending the load beam is performed over a mandrel.

10. The method of manufacture of claim 1 wherein attaching the flexure/slider assembly to the load beam is performed before bending the load beam between the at least one tab and the at least one side beam.

11. The method of manufacture of claim 1 wherein bending the load beam between the at least one tab and the at least one side beam is performed before bending the load beam between the at least one side beam and the base.

12. The method of manufacture of claim 1 wherein attaching the flexure/slider assembly to the load beam includes mounting a flexure of the flexure/slider assembly to the load beam forward of a pivot of the load beam, the flexure including a edge limiter tab.

13. The method of manufacture of claim 12 wherein bending the load beam between the at least one side beam and the base includes positioning the at least one side beam beneath the edge limiter tab.

14. The method of manufacture of claim 12 wherein bending the load beam between the at least one side beam and the base includes positioning the flexure between the at least one tab and the base.

15. A method of manufacture comprising:

A. obtaining a load beam having a base, at least one side beam extending from the base and at least one tab extending from the at least one side beam, wherein the base, at least one side beam and the at least one tab are substantially in a common plane;

B. attaching a flexure/slider assembly to the load beam;

C. bending the load beam about a first axis between the at least one tab and the at least one side beam, such that the at least one tab is positioned out of the common plane; and

D. bending the load beam about a second axis between the at least one side beam and the base, the second axis being substantially orthogonal to the first axis, such that the at least one side beam is positioned out of the common plane.

16. The method of manufacture of claim 15 wherein the load beam includes a lifter tab portion and the method further comprises deforming the lifter tab portion to form a lifter tab.

17. The method of manufacture of claim 16 wherein the base and the lifter tab portion are integral.

18. The method of manufacture of claim 15 wherein obtaining the load beam includes stamping the load beam from a sheet.

19. The method of manufacture of claim 15 wherein bending the load beam is performed over a mandrel.

20. The method of manufacture of claim 15 wherein attaching the flexure/slider assembly to the load beam is performed before bending the load beam between the at least one tab and the at least one side beam.

21. The method of manufacture of claim 15 wherein bending the load beam between the at least one tab and the at least one side beam is performed before bending the load beam between the at least one side beam and the base.

22. The method of manufacture of claim 15 wherein attaching the flexure/slider assembly to the load beam includes mounting a flexure of the flexure/slider assembly to the load beam forward of a pivot of the load beam, the flexure including a edge limiter tab.

23. The method of manufacture of claim 22 wherein bending the load beam between the at least one side beam and the base includes positioning the at least one side beam beneath the edge limiter tab.

24. The method of manufacture of claim 22 wherein bending the load beam between the at least one side beam and the base includes positioning the flexure between the at least one tab and the base.

25. A method of manufacture comprising:

A. obtaining a load beam having a base, at least one side beam extending from the base and at least one tab extending from the at least one side beam, wherein the base, at least one side beam and the at least one tab are substantially in a common plane;

B. attaching a flexure/slider assembly to the load beam;

C. after attaching the flexure/slider assembly, bending the load beam between the at least one tab and the at least one side beam, such that the at least one tab is positioned out of the common plane; and

D. bending the load beam between the at least one side beam and the base, such that the at least one side beam is positioned out of the common plane.

26. The method of manufacture of claim 25 wherein the load beam includes a lifter tab portion and the method further comprises deforming the lifter tab portion to form a lifter tab.

27. The method of manufacture of claim 26 wherein the base and the lifter tab portion are integral.

28. The method of manufacture of claim 25 wherein obtaining the load beam includes stamping the load beam from a sheet.

29. The method of manufacture of claim 25 wherein bending the load beam is performed over a mandrel.

30. The method of manufacture of claim 25 wherein bending the load beam between the at least one tab and the at least one side beam is performed before bending the load beam between the at least one side beam and the base.

31. The method of manufacture of claim 25 wherein attaching the flexure/slider assembly to the load beam includes mounting a flexure of the flexure/slider assembly to the load beam forward of a pivot of the load beam, the flexure including a edge limiter tab.

32. The method of manufacture of claim 31 wherein bending the load beam between the at least one side beam and the base includes positioning the at least one side beam beneath the edge limiter tab.

33. The method of manufacture of claim 31 wherein bending the load beam between the at least one side beam and the base includes positioning the flexure between the at least one tab and the base.