Ramp detection during servo-writing of a disk for a disk drive

1. A servo writer comprising:

a head positioner to position a head of an actuator arm of a head disk assembly relative to a disk that does not have servo sectors written thereon; and

a controller to:

control the head positioner to move the head of the actuator arm toward a ramp near the disk;

determine a head positioner value generated by the head positioner to move the head without reading position information on the disk;

detect the ramp when the head positioner value exceeds a predetermined threshold; and

write servo sectors to the disk based in part on the detected ramp.

2. The servo writer of claim 1 , wherein the head positioner value is a back electromotive force (EMF) received from a voice coil motor.

3. The servo writer of claim 1 , wherein the controller controls the head positioner to move the head toward the ramp in a dithered manner.

4. The servo writer of claim 3 , wherein the head positioner value is a head positioner current and wherein an integrator value of the head positioner current is determined, the integrator value of the head positioner current corresponding to the amount of force applied by the head positioner to the actuator arm.

5. The servo writer of claim 4 , wherein the predetermined threshold is exceeded by determining at least two successively increasing maximum integrator values of the head positioner current.

6. The servo writer of claim 1 , wherein the controller determines a position of the detected ramp.

7. The servo writer of claim 6 , wherein the controller, based upon the position of the detected ramp, calculates a customized servo write stroke for the head disk assembly between an inner diameter (ID) of the disk and the position of the detected ramp.

8. The servo writer of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further to:

determine a track spacing for a plurality of tracks to be written to the disk based upon the customized servo write stroke; and

command the writing of servo sectors to the disk to define the plurality of tracks based upon the track spacing and the customized servo write stroke.

9. A method for detecting a ramp comprising:

controlling movement of a head of an actuator arm of a head disk assembly with a head positioner relative to a disk toward the ramp; wherein the disk does not have servo sectors written thereon;

determining a value generated by the head positioner to move the head without reading position information on the disk;

detecting the ramp when the head positioner value exceeds a predetermined threshold; and

writing servo sectors to the disk based in part on the detected ramp.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the value generated by the head positioner is a back electromotive force (EMF) from a voice coil motor.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising controlling the movement of the head toward the ramp in a dithered manner.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the head positioner value is a head positioner current, further comprising determining an integrator value of the head positioner current which corresponds to the amount of force applied by the head positioner to the actuator arm.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the predetermined threshold is exceeded by determining at least two successively increasing maximum integrator values of the head positioner current.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising determining a position of the detected ramp.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising calculating a customized servo write stroke for the head disk assembly between an inner diameter (ID) of the disk and the position of the detected ramp.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

determining a track spacing for a plurality of tracks to be written to the disk based upon the customized servo write stroke; and

commanding the writing of servo sectors to the disk to define the plurality of tracks based upon the track spacing and the customized servo write stroke.

17. A system to detect a ramp comprising:

a head of an actuator arm of a head disk assembly;

a means for controlling movement of the head relative to a disk toward the ramp with a head positioner, wherein the disk does not have servo sectors written thereon;

means for determining a value generated by the head positioner to move the head without reading position information on the disk; and

means for detecting the ramp when the head positioner value exceeds a predetermined threshold; and

means for writing servo sectors to the disk based in part on the detected ramp.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the head positioner value is a back electromotive force (EMF) received from a voice coil motor.

19. The system of claim 17 , further comprising means for controlling the movement of the head toward the ramp in a dithered manner.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the head positioner value is a head positioner current, further comprising means for determining an integrator value of the head positioner current which corresponds to the amount of force applied by the head positioner to the actuator arm.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the predetermined threshold is exceeded by determining at least two successively increasing maximum integrator values of the head positioner current.

22. The system of claim 17 , further comprising means for determining a position of the detected ramp.

23. The system of claim 21 , further comprising means for calculating a customized servo write stroke for the head disk assembly between an inner diameter (ID) of the disk and the position of the detected ramp.

24. The system of claim 22 , further comprising:

means for determining a track spacing for a plurality of tracks to be written to the disk based upon the customized servo write stroke; and

means for commanding the writing of servo sectors to the disk to define the plurality of tracks based upon the track spacing and the customized servo write stroke.