THT

MicroPhysics

MicroPhysics Tape Head Tester (THT)

The MicroPhysics Tape Head Tester (THT) is designed for high-speed electrical testing of magnetic tape heads. The THT provides a comprehensive testing solution for a battery of highly sought after parametric tests, including track average amplitude, PW-50, overwrite, write current and MR saturation, resolution, time asymmetry, and noise tests.

The THT has recently been upgraded to incorporate MicroPhysics Tape Tester Electronics and software that allows magnetic channel characterization of tape head/media systems in both engineering and manufacturing environments. The upgraded THT also features a compact 33' X 33' space-saving design that fits easily into a small development lab or onto a crowded production floor. The THT system is rapidly becoming the industry testing standard for head and drive vendors.

The THT uses a loop of magnetic tape so that writing and read back can be accomplished quickly without the need to rewind tape. Tape width kits are available for all popular tape formats from 4 mm to 1 inch and greater. The tape tension is controlled precisely using a vacuum column.

The head can be positioned along up to 5 axes under manual or closed-loop computer control. The penetration, tracking, azimuth, pitch and roll can all be varied to test the positioning tolerance of the head. The THT is available in both one and two-head configurations. The tape speed and head position can be controlled using the integrated Pentium computer with the Microsoft Windows operating system.

THT Specification

Base Hardware:

        20-400 ips bi-directional spindle motor, closed loop digital servo control
        Manual micrometer adjustments for tracking & penetration 0 to 25 degree tape wrap
        Head mount and transfer tool for holding head
        Rack-Mount Pentium Computer with the Microsoft Windows operating system
        Digital display of tape tension from vacuum pressure with serial interface to PC
        Optical index sensor for loop rotation with detector/driver electronics
        Windows-based software to control tape speed and display tape tension
        Stand-alone workstation with castors, integrated rack mount, high quality flat-screen monitor,
           compact keyboard, and stainless steel work surface.

Looper and Head Rotation Assembly

Options:

        Motorized head tracking & penetration, computer controlled, closed loop system, sub-micron resolution
        Manual adjustment of azimuth, pitch and roll with precision rotary stage and two goiniometers for all rotations
           centered at the tape surface. Rotary positions are displayed digitally with 0.01-degree resolution.
        Computer controlled adjustment of azimuth, pitch and roll with 0.01-degree resolution. Closed loop servo
           system, mechanics as above. Motion control via MicroPhysics Instrument Network (MIN)^tm from PC.
           Includes software for setup, homing, positioning.
        Dual head mounts
        MicroPhysics Tape Tester Electronics and Software
        Air Guide Up-grade is now available for the (THT). These guides use clean dry compressed
           air to float the tape in order to reduce system friction.