Apparatus and method for aligning solder pads during head gimbal assembly soldering

1. A system comprising: an intergrated lead suspension tail, a main flex cable, and a device for orienting said integrated lead suspension tail during a head gimbal assembly soldering operation of a head stack assembly process, said device comprising: a body portion; and at least one pin extending from said body portion, said at least one pin positioning said integrated lead suspension tail proximate to said main flex cable such that electrical coupling between said integrated lead suspension tail and said main flex cable is established upon completion of said head gimbal assembly soldering operation, said at least one pin having sufficient length to extend past a terminal end of said main flex cable.

2. The device as described in claim 1 , wherein said at least one pin separates adjacent said integrated lead suspension tails during said head gimbal assembly soldering operation.

3. The device as described in claim 1 , wherein said sufficient length is adjustable to accommodate variations in said integrated lead suspension tails and said main flex cable.

4. The device as described in claim 1 , wherein said at least one pin comprises a plurality of pins.

5. The device as described in claim 4 , wherein a pitch of said plurality of pins is adjustable to accommodate variations in said integrated lead suspension tails and said main flex cable.

6. The device as described in claim 1 , wherein a gap width between said integrated lead suspension tail and said main flex cable is substantially constant from one said electrical coupling to another upon completion of said head stack assembly process.

7. The device as described in claim 1 , wherein said sufficient length further comprises extending below at least one solder pad residing on said integrated lead suspension tail and a complementary at least one solder pad residing on said main flex cable.

8. The device as described in claim 7 wherein said extending below biases said orientation of said integrated lead suspension tail toward said main flex cable so that said at least one solder pad residing on said integrated lead suspension tail and a complementary at least one solder pad residing on said main flex cable establish contact.

9. A method for establishing electrical coupling between an integrated lead suspension tail and a main flex cable during a head gimbal assembly soldering operation of a head stack assembly process, said method comprising:

providing a body portion of an integrated lead suspension tail separator; and

providing at least one pin extending from said body portion, pin positioning said integrated lead suspension tail proximate to a main flex cable such that electrical coupling between said integrated lead suspension tail and said main flex cable is established upon completion of said head gimbal assembly soldering operation, said at least one pin having sufficient length to extend past a terminal end of said main flex cable.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein said at least one pin separates adjacent said integrated lead suspension tails during said head gimbal assembly soldering operation.

11. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein said sufficient length is adjustable to accommodate variations in said integrated lead suspension tails and said main flex cable.

12. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein said at least one pin comprises a plurality of pins.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein a pitch of said plurality of pins is adjustable to accommodate variations in said integrated lead suspension tails and said main flex cable.

14. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein said sufficient length further comprises extending below at least one solder pad residing on said integrated lead suspension tail and a complementary at least one solder pad residing on said main flex cable.

15. A method for maintaining consistent gap widths between an electrical coupling of at least one integrated lead suspension tail of a head gimbal assembly and a main flex cable during a head stack assembly process, said method comprising:

inserting at least one pin of an integrated lead suspension tail separator proximate to said at least one integrated lead suspension tail, said at least one pin inserted to a position below a first plurality of solder pads located on said at least one integrated lead suspension tail and a second plurality of solder pads located on said main flex cable, wherein said inserting causes said at least one integrated lead suspension tail to be inclined toward said main flex cable so that said first plurality of solder pads contact complementary ones of said second plurality of solder pads.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 , further comprising:

reflowing solder from said first plurality of solder pads and said complementary ones of said second plurality of solder pads; and

removing said integrated lead suspension tail separator, wherein a gap width between said integrated lead suspension tail and said main flex cable is substantially constant from one said electrical coupling to another upon completion of said head stack assembly process.

17. The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein said at least one pin separates adjacent said integrated lead suspension tails during said head gimbal assembly soldering operation.

18. The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein a length of said at least one pin is adjustable to accommodate variations in said integrated lead suspension tails and said main flex cable.

19. The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein said at least one pin comprises a plurality of pins.

20. The method as recited in claim 19 , wherein a pitch of said plurality of pins is adjustable to accommodate variations in said integrated lead suspension tails and said main flex cable.