Method and apparatus for controlling camber on air bearing surface of a slider

Abstract

An apparatus and method of a parting a slider from a slider bar is disclosed. A slider bar comprising a plurality of sliders and having an air bearing surface (ABS) side and a back side opposite to the ABS side is received. At least one slider is parted from the slider bar with a cutter, wherein the cutter enters the slider bar at least in part on the backside and exits the slider bar at least in part on the ABS side.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for parting a slider from a slider bar, the apparatus comprising:
 a fixture for affixing a slider bar thereto, the slider bar comprising a plurality of sliders and having an air bearing surface (ABS) side and a back side opposite to the ABS side; and   at least one cutter configured to part at least one slider from the slider bar,   wherein the cutter is configured to enter the slider bar at least in part on the backside and to exit the slider bar at least in part on the ABS side.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the slider bar is affixed to the fixture with a thermal melt adhesive. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cutter comprises a rotating blade. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cutter is configured to move towards the slider bar in a cutting direction. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the ABS side is facing at least in part along the cutting direction. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where the slider bar is configured to move towards the cutter in a feed direction. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the back side is facing at least in part along the feed direction. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cutter comprises a plurality of parallel cutting wheels configured to simultaneously part multiple sliders from the slider bar.