Patent Publication Number: US-2012034054-A1

Title: Transferring Disk Drives Within Disk Drive Testing Systems

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application is a continuation and claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/104,536, filed Apr. 17, 2008. The disclosure of the prior application is considered part of, and is incorporated by reference in, the disclosure of this application. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This disclosure relates to transferring disk drives within disk drive testing systems. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Disk drive manufacturers typically test manufactured disk drives for compliance with a collection of requirements. Test equipment and techniques exist for testing large numbers of disk drives serially or in parallel. Manufacturers tend to test large numbers of disk drives simultaneously in batches. Disk drive testing systems typically include one or more racks having multiple test slots that receive disk drives for testing. 
     The testing environment immediately around the disk drive is closely regulated. Minimum temperature fluctuations in the testing environment are critical for accurate test conditions and for safety of the disk drives. The latest generations of disk drives, which have higher capacities, faster rotational speeds and smaller head clearance, are more sensitive to vibration. Excess vibration can affect the reliability of test results and the integrity of electrical connections. Under test conditions, the drives themselves can propagate vibrations through supporting structures or fixtures to adjacent units. This vibration “cross-talking,” together with external sources of vibration, contributes to bump errors, head slap and non-repetitive run-out (NRRO), which may result in lower test yields and increased manufacturing costs. 
     Current disk drive testing systems use an operator, a robotic arm, or a conveyer belt to individually feed disk drives to a transfer location for loading into the testing system for testing. A robotic arm of the testing system individually retrieves the disk drives from the transfer location and loads them in test slots for testing. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect, a method of transferring disk drives within a disk drive testing system includes actuating an automated transporter (e.g. robotic arm, gantry system, or multi-axis linear actuator) to retrieve multiple disk drives presented for testing, and actuating the automated transporter to deliver each retrieved disk drive to a respective test slot of the disk drive testing system and to insert each disk drive in the respective test slot. 
     Implementations of this aspect of the disclosure may include one or more of the following features. In some implementations, the method includes actuating the automated transporter to retrieve multiple disk drive transporters, actuating the automated transporter to retrieve the disk drives presented for testing by carrying each of the disk drives with respective disk drive transporters, and actuating the automated transporter to deliver the disk drive transporters, each carrying one of the disk drives, to the respective test slots. In some examples, each of the disk drive transporters is inserted into a respective test slot, engaging the carried disk drive with a respective connector of the disk drive testing system. The inserted disk drive transporters provide closure of their respective test slots. 
     In some implementations, the disk drives are present in at least one disk drive tote presented to the disk drive testing system. The automated transporter retrieves each of the disk drives from the at least one disk drive tote with the corresponding disk drive transporter by positioning the disk drive transporter below the disk drive, lifting the disk drive off a disk drive support of the disk drive tote, and carrying the disk drive in the disk drive transporter away from the disk drive tote. 
     The automated transporter preferably includes a manipulator configured to transport multiple disk drives. For example, in the case of a robotic arm as the automated transporter, the manipulator is secured to a distal end of the robot arm. In some examples, the manipulator includes first and second connectors disposed on a manipulator body and arranged in a substantially V-shaped configuration with respect to each other. The connectors are configured to releasably attach to a disk drive transporter. 
     In another aspect, a method of transferring disk drives within a disk drive testing system includes actuating an automated transporter having a manipulator to retrieve an untested disk drive presented for testing. The manipulator is configured to transport multiple disk drives. The method includes actuating the automated transporter to deliver the retrieved untested disk drive to a respective test slot of the disk drive testing system and insert the untested disk drive in its respective test slot for testing. 
     Implementations of this aspect of the disclosure may include one or more of the following features. In some implementations, the manipulator includes first and second connectors disposed on a manipulator body and arranged in a substantially V-shaped configuration with respect to each other. However, in some examples, the first and second connectors are disposed 180 degrees from one another. The connectors are configured to releasably attach to a disk drive transporter. 
     In some examples, the method includes actuating the automated transporter to retrieve a disk drive transporter, actuating the automated transporter to retrieve the untested disk drive presented for testing by carrying the untested disk drive with the disk drive transporter, and actuating the automated transporter to deliver the disk drive transporter to the respective test slot. The disk drive transporter is inserted into the test slots, engaging the carried untested disk drive with a respective connector of the disk drive testing system. The inserted disk drive transporter provides closure of its respective test slot. 
     In some implementations, the untested disk drive is present in a disk drive tote presented to the disk drive testing system. The automated transporter retrieves the untested disk drive from the disk drive tote with the corresponding disk drive transporter by positioning the disk drive transporter below the untested disk drive, lifting the untested disk drive off a disk drive support of the disk drive tote, and carrying the untested disk drive in the disk drive transporter away from the disk drive tote. 
     In some implementations, the method includes actuating the automated transporter and the manipulator to retrieve a tested disk drive from its respective test slot and carrying the tested disk drive to a destination location, such as a destination disk drive tote. The method may include actuating the automated transporter to retrieve the tested disk drive from its respective test slot by actuating the manipulator to engage a respective disk drive transporter of the tested disk drive and carrying the tested disk drive with its respective disk drive transporter to the destination location. The method may include actuating the automated transporter to deliver the disk drive carried by its respective disk drive transporter to a receptacle of a destination disk drive tote. 
     In another aspect, a method of transferring disk drives within a disk drive testing system includes actuating an automated transporter having a manipulator to retrieve a first disk drive housed in a first test slot of the disk drive testing system. The manipulator is configured to transport multiple disk drives. The method includes actuating the automated transporter to deliver the retrieved first disk drive to a second test slot, actuating the automated transporter to retrieve a second disk drive from the second test slot while carrying the first disk drive, and actuating the automated transporter to insert the first disk drive into the second test slot while carrying the second disk drive. 
     Implementations of this aspect of the disclosure may include one or more of the following features. In some implementations, the method includes actuating the automated transporter to deliver the retrieved second disk drive to the first test slot, and actuating the automated transporter to insert the second disk drive into the first test slot. The manipulator includes a manipulator body and first and second connectors disposed on the manipulator body. The connectors are arranged in a substantially V-shaped configuration with respect to each other and are each configured to releasably attach to a disk drive transporter. The manipulator transports the first and second disk drives in corresponding releasably attached disk drive transporters. In examples where the disk drives are each carried in a corresponding disk drive transporter, inserting each disk drive into one of the test slots includes inserting the corresponding disk drive transporter into the respective test slot, engaging the carried disk drive with a respective connector of the disk drive testing system, the inserted disk drive transporter providing closure of its respective test slot. 
     In yet another aspect, a disk drive testing system includes an automated transporter, at least one rack about the automated transporter for access by the automated transporter, and multiple test slots housed by each rack. Each test slot is configured to receive a disk drive for testing. A transfer station, arranged for access by the automated transporter, presents multiple disk drives for testing. A manipulator attached to the automated transporter is configured to carry multiple disk drives. 
     Implementations of this aspect of the disclosure may include one or more of the following features. In some implementations, the manipulator is configured to releasably attach to multiple disk drive transporters. The manipulator includes first and second connectors disposed on a manipulator body and arranged in a substantially V-shaped configuration with respect to each other. The connectors are configured to releasably attach to a disk drive transporter. 
     In some examples, the transfer station includes a transfer station housing configured to receive and support multiple disk drive totes in a presentation position for servicing by the automated transporter. Each disk drive tote includes a tote body defining multiple disk drive receptacles configured to each house a disk drive. 
     The details of one or more implementations of the disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a disk drive testing system and a transfer station. 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of a disk drive testing system and a transfer station. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a disk drive testing system and a transfer station. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a disk drive being inserted into a test slot of a disk drive testing system. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a disk drive transporter. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a disk drive transporter carrying a disk drive. 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom perspective view of a disk drive transporter carrying a disk drive. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a robotic arm with a manipulator secured to its distal end. 
         FIG. 9  is an elevated front perspective view of a manipulator for a robotic arm. 
         FIG. 10  is a elevated rear perspective view of the manipulator shown in  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is an elevated front perspective view of a manipulator for a robotic arm. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a disk drive tote in a loading position. 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a disk drive tote in a presentation position. 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a transfer station. 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a tote in a presentation position for placement on a tote presentation support system of a transfer station. 
     
    
    
     Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Bulk feeding of disk drives in a disk drive testing system is advantageous over manual individual feeding of disk drives by providing increased through-put and efficiency of the disk drive testing system, inter alia. As will be discussed in detail, presenting multiple disk drive totes (also referred to as totes), which hold multiple disk drives, to a disk drive testing system allows continual disk drive testing, disk sorting amongst multiple disk drive totes, minimal user intervention, and increased efficiency over current systems, inter alia. Bulk feeding of disk drives in disk drive totes provides the advantage of shop floor flexibility (e.g. by providing the ability to easily redirect a disk drive tote or a cart or trolley carrying disk drive totes versus rerouting fixed conveyors). An operator can present a batch of drives (e.g. via the disk drive tote) to the disk drive testing system and then walk away to service another system. Bulk feeding of disk drives in disk drive totes also allows automatic sorting of tested drives with the disk drive totes, as will be discussed below. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , in some implementations, a disk drive testing system  100  includes at least one automated transporter  200  (e.g. robotic arm, gantry system, or multi-axis linear actuator) defining a first axis  205  (see  FIG. 3 ) substantially normal to a floor surface  10 . In the examples shown, the automated transporter  200  comprises a robotic arm  200  operable to rotate through a predetermined arc about the first axis  205  and to extend radially from the first axis  205 . The robotic arm  200  is operable to rotate 360° about the first axis  205  and includes a manipulator  700  disposed at a distal end of the robotic arm  200  to handle one or more disk drives  500  and/or disk drive transporters  550  to carry the disk drives  500  (see e.g.  FIGS. 5-6 ). Multiple racks  300  are arranged around the robotic arm  200  for servicing by the robotic arm  200 . Each rack  300  houses multiple test slots  310  configured to receive disk drives  500  for testing. The robotic arm  200  defines a substantially cylindrical working envelope volume  210 , with the racks  300  being arranged within the working envelope  210  for accessibility of each test slot  310  for servicing by the robotic arm  200 . The substantially cylindrical working envelope volume  210  provides a compact footprint and is generally only limited in capacity by height constraints. In some examples, the robotic arm  200  is elevated by and supported on a pedestal or lift  250  on the floor surface  10 . The pedestal or lift  250  increases the size of the working envelope volume  210  by allowing the robotic arm  200  to reach not only upwardly, but also downwardly to service test slots  310 . The size of the working envelope volume  210  can be further increased by adding a vertical actuator to the pedestal or lift  250 . 
     The automated transporter  200  (e.g. robotic arm) is configured to independently service each test slot  310  to provide a continuous flow of disk drives  500  through the testing system  100 . A continuous flow of individual disk drives  500  through the testing system  100  allows random start and stop times for each disk drive  500 , whereas other systems that require batches of disk drives  500  to be run all at once as an entire testing loaded must all have the same start and end times. Therefore, with continuous flow, disk drives  500  of different capacities can be run at the same time and serviced (loaded/unloaded) as needed. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-4 , the disk drive testing system  100  includes a transfer station  400  configured for bulk feeding of disk drives  500  to the automated transporter  200  (e.g. a robotic arm, as shown). The automated transporter  200  independently services each test slot  310  by transferring a disk drive  500  between the transfer station  400  and the test slot  310 . The transfer station  400  houses one or more totes  600  carrying multiple disk drives  500  presented for servicing by the automated transporter  200 . The transfer station  400  is a service point for delivering and retrieving disk drives  500  to and from the disk drive testing system  100 . The totes  600  allow an operator to deliver and retrieve a collection of disk drives  500  to and from the transfer station  400 . In the example shown in  FIG. 3 , each tote  600  is accessible from respective tote presentation support systems  420  in a presentation position and may be designated as a source tote  600  for supplying a collection of disk drives  500  for testing or as a destination tote  600  for receiving tested disk drives  500  (or both). Destination totes  600  may be classified as “passed return totes” or “failed return totes” for receiving respective disk drives  500  that have either passed or failed a functionality test, respectively. 
     In implementations that employ disk drive transporters  550  for manipulating disk drives  500 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , the robotic arm  200  is configured to remove a disk drive transporter  550  from one of the test slots  310  with the manipulator  700 , then pick up a disk drive  500  from one the totes  600  presented at the transfer station  400  with the disk drive transporter  550 , and then return the disk drive transporter  550 , with a disk drive  500  therein, to the test slot  310  for testing of the disk drive  500 . After testing, the robotic arm  200  retrieves the tested disk drive  500  from the test slot  310 , by removing the disk drive transporter  550  carrying the tested disk drive  500  from the test slot  310  (i.e., with the manipulator  700 ), carrying the tested disk drive  500  in the disk drive transporter  550  to the transfer station  400 , and manipulating the disk drive transporter  550  to return the tested disk drive  500  to one of the totes  600  at the transfer station  400 . 
     The test slot  310 , shown in  FIG. 4 , defines an opening  312  configured to receive the disk drive transporter  550 , which in this case provides closure of the test slot  310 . The disk drive transporter  550  is configured to receive the disk drive  500 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , and be handled by the automated transporter  200 . In use, one of the disk drive transporters  550  is removed from one of the test slots  310  with the robot  200  (e.g., by grabbing, or otherwise engaging, the indentation  552  of the transporter  550  with the manipulator  700  of the robot  200 ). In some examples, as illustrated in  FIGS. 5-7 , the disk drive transporter  550  includes a frame  560  defining a substantially U-shaped opening  561  formed by sidewalls  562 ,  564  and a base plate  566  that collectively allow the frame  560  to fit around a disk drive support (not shown) in the tote  600  so that the disk drive transporter  550  can be moved (e.g., via the robotic arm  200 ) into a position beneath one of the disk drives  500  housed in one of multiple disk drive receptacles  620  defined by the tote  600  (see e.g.,  FIGS. 8-9 ). The disk drive transporter  550  can then be raised (e.g., by the robotic arm  310 ) into a position engaging the disk drive  600  for removal from the tote  600 . 
     With the disk drive  500  in place within the frame  560  of the disk drive transporter  550 , the disk drive transporter  550  and the disk drive  500  together can be moved by the robotic arm  200  for placement within one of the test slots  310 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . In some implementations, the manipulator  700  is also configured to initiate actuation of a clamping mechanism  570  disposed in the disk drive transporter  550 . This allows actuation of the clamping mechanism  570  before the transporter  550  is moved from the tote  600  to the test slot  310  to inhibit movement of the disk drive  500  relative to the disk drive transporter  550  during the move. Prior to insertion in the test slot  310 , the manipulator  700  can again actuate the clamping mechanism  570  to release the disk drive  500  within the frame  560 . This allows for insertion of the disk drive transporter  550  into one of the test slots  310 , until the disk drive  500  is in a test position with a disk drive connector  510  engaged with a test slot connector (not shown). The clamping mechanism  570  may also be configured to engage the test slot  310 , once received therein, to inhibit movement of the disk drive transporter  550  relative to the test slot  310 . In such implementations, once the disk drive  500  is in the test position, the clamping mechanism  570  is engaged again (e.g., by the manipulator  700 ) to inhibit movement of the disk drive transporter  550  relative to the test slot  310 . The clamping of the transporter  550  in this manner can help to reduce vibrations during testing. In some examples, after insertion, the disk drive transporter  550  and disk drive  500  carried therein are both clamped or secured in combination or individually within the test slot  310 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 8-11 , the manipulator  700  is secured to a distal end  202  of the robotic arm  200 . The manipulator  700  includes first and second arms  720 ,  730  disposed on a manipulator body  710  and arranged in a substantially V-shaped configuration with respect to each other. In some implementations, the arms  720 ,  730  can be disposed in other arrangements, such as 180 degrees from each other or some other angle therebetween. The arms  720 ,  730  each have connectors  740  configured to releasably attach to a disk drive transporter  550 . In the examples shown, each connector  740  includes first and second tabs  742 ,  744  opposedly coupled to a tab actuator  750  disposed on the arm  720 , 730 . The tab actuator  750  is operable to move its coupled tabs  742 ,  744  in opposing directions to releasably engage and hold a disk drive transporter  550 . To grab the disk drive transporter  550 , the robotic arm  200  and manipulator  700  are actuated to maneuver one of the connectors  740  to place the tabs  742 ,  744  into the indentation  552  of the disk drive transporter  550  and then actuate the tab actuator  740  to move the tabs  742 ,  744  away from each other and engage the indentation  552  to releasable attach to the disk drive transporter  550 . In some examples, the tabs  742 ,  744  are hook shaped and/or have friction pads to engage the indentation  552  of the disk drive transporter  550 . Each arm  720 ,  730  of the manipulator  700  has first and second clamp actuators  762 ,  764  configured to engage the clamping mechanism  570  of the disk drive transporter  550 . The clamp actuators  762 ,  764  may be operable to push or pull on the clamping mechanism  570  to engage/disengage the clamping mechanism  570 . 
     In the example illustrated in  FIGS. 12-13 , the tote  600  includes a tote body  610  having a front side  611 , a back side  612 , a top side  613 , a bottom side  614 , a right side  615  and a left side  616 . The tote body  610  defines multiple disk drive receptacles  620  in the front side  611  that are each configured to house a disk drive  500 . In some examples, the tote  600  rests on its back side  612  while in the loading position, such that the disk drive receptacles  620  are substantially vertical and face upward, as shown in  FIG. 12 . In other examples, the tote  600  is held in another orientation while in the loading position, such as at an incline or in a vertical orientation, as with the presentation position. In the presentation position, the tote  600  rests on its bottom side  614 , such that the disk drive receptacles  620  are substantially horizontal and face laterally, as shown in  FIG. 13 . The tote body  610  defines arm grooves  630  in the right and left sides  615 ,  616  of the tote body  610  that are configured to support the tote  600 . 
     In the example shown, each disk drive receptacle  620  includes a disk drive support  622  configured to support a central portion  502  (see  FIG. 7 ) of the received disk drive  500  to allow manipulation of the disk drive  500  along non-central portions. In some implementations, the disk drive support  622  is configured to support the disk drive  500  at an incline, while the tote  600  is in a substantially vertical orientation, such that the disk drive  500  has a tending to slide deeper into the disk drive receptacle  620 , rather than out of the disk drive receptacle  620 . To remove a housed disk drive  500  from the disk drive receptacle  620 , the disk drive transporter  550  is positioned below the disk drive  500  (e.g. by the robotic arm  200 ) in the disk drive receptacle  620  and elevated to lift the disk drive  500  off of the disk drive support  622 . The disk drive transporter  550  is then removed from the disk drive receptacle  620  while carrying the disk drive  500  for delivery to a destination target, such as a test slot  310 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 14 , in some implementations, the transfer station  400  includes a transfer station housing  410  and multiple tote presentation support systems  420  disposed on the transfer station housing  410 . Each tote presentation support system  420  is configured to receive and support a disk drive tote  600  in a presentation position for servicing by the disk drive testing system  100 . 
     In some implementations, the tote presentation support systems  420  are each disposed on the same side of the transfer station housing  410  and arranged vertically with respect to each other. Each tote presentation support systems  420  has a different elevation with respect to the others. In some examples, as shown in  FIG. 15 , the tote presentation support system  420  includes first and second opposing pairs  422 ,  424  of tote support arms  426  configured to be received by respective arm grooves  630  defined by the tote body  610  of the disk drive tote  600 . 
     Referring again to  FIG. 14 , a tote mover  430  is disposed on the transfer station housing  410  and is configured to move a pivotally coupled tote loading support  440 , which is configured to receive and support a disk drive tote  600 . The tote loading support  440  pivots and moves between a first position and a second position. The tote mover  430  is configured to move the tote loading support  440  between the first position, for holding a disk drive tote  600  in a loading position (e.g. in a horizontal orientation at the loading support&#39;s first position), and the second position, for holding a disk drive tote  600  in the presentation position (e.g. in a substantially vertical orientation) at one of the tote presentation support systems  420  for servicing by the disk drive testing system  100  (e.g. by the robotic arm  200 ). In some examples, the tote presentation support system  420  holds the tote  600  at a slightly inclined (e.g. off vertical) orientation to keep disk drives  500  from accidentally slipping out of the tote  600 . 
     A method of performing disk drive testing includes presenting multiple disk drives  500  to a disk drive testing system  100  for testing and actuating an automated transporter  200  (e.g. robotic arm) to retrieve one of the disk drives  500  from the disk drive tote  600  and deliver the retrieved disk drive  500  to a test slot  310  of a rack  300  of the disk drive testing system  100 . The method includes actuating the automated transporter  200  to insert the disk drive  500  in the test slot  310 , and performing a functionality test on the disk drive  500  received by the test slot  310 . The method may also include actuating the automated transporter  200  to retrieve the tested disk drive  500  from the test slot  310  and deliver the tested disk drive  500  back to a destination location. In some implementations, the method includes retrieving multiple presented disk drives  500  and delivering each of the disk drives to a respective test slot  310 . In other implementations, the method includes shuffling disk drives  500  amongst test slots  310  by actuating the automated transporter  200  to remove a first disk drive  500  from a first test slot  310  and carrying it with the first arm  720  of the manipulator  700 , moving to a second test slot  310  and removing a second disk drive  500  and carrying it with the second arm  730  of the manipulator  700 , and then inserting the first disk drive  500  into the second slot  310 . The method may also include actuating the automated transporter  200  to move the second disk drive to the first test slot  310  and inserting the second disk drive  500  in the first test slot  310 . For this mode of operation (disk drive shuffling), the dual-armed manipulator  700  provides distinct advantages over a single-armed manipulator by allowing direct exchanges of disk drives  500  at each stop, rather than having to take a disk drive  500  out of a first test slot  310 , park the disk drive  500  in an empty slot  310  or in a tote  600 , retrieve another disk drive  500  from a second slot  310  and insert that disk drive  500  into the first test slot  310 , and then retrieve the parked disk drive  500  and insert it in the second slot  310 . The dual-armed manipulator  700  removes the step of parking one of the disk drives  500  while swapping disk drives  500  amongst two test slots  310 . 
     Presenting multiple disk drives  500  for testing may be achieved by loading multiple disk drives  500  into/onto a transfer station  400 , as by loading the disk drives  500  into disk drive receptacles  620  defined by a disk drive tote  600 , and loading the disk drive tote  600  into/onto the transfer station  400 . A tote mover  430  of the transfer station  400  is actuated to move the disk drive tote  600  from a loading position to a presentation position for servicing by the disk drive testing system  100 . The disk drive tote  600  is supported in the presentation position by one of multiple tote presentation support systems  420  disposed on the transfer station housing  410  and arranged vertically with respect to each other. Multiple disk drive totes  600 , each housing disk drives  500 , can be sequentially placed in the loading position on the transfer station  400  and moved by the tote mover  430  to its respective presentation position at one of the multiple tote presentation support systems  420  for servicing by the disk drive testing system  100 . 
     In retrieving one or more of the presented disk drives  500  for testing, the method preferably includes actuating the automated transporter  200  to retrieve a disk drive transporter  550  (e.g. from a test slot  310  housed in a rack  300 ), and actuating the automated transporter  200  to retrieve one of the disk drives  500  from the transfer station  400  and carry the disk drive  500  in the disk drive transporter  550 . The method includes actuating the automated transporter  200  to deliver the disk drive transporter  550  carrying the disk drive  500  to the test slot  310  for performing a functionality test on the disk drive  500  housed by the received disk drive transporter  550  and the test slot  310 . In some examples, delivering the disk drive transporter  550  to the test slot  310  includes inserting the disk drive transporter  550  carrying the disk drive  500  into the test slot  310  in the rack  300 , establishing an electric connection between the disk drive  500  and the rack  300 . After testing is completed on the disk drive  500 , the method includes actuating the automated transporter  200  to retrieve the disk drive transporter  550  carrying the tested disk drive  500  from the test slot  310  and delivering the tested disk drive  500  back to a destination location, such as a destination disk drive tote  600  on the transfer station  400 . In some implementations, the rack  300  and two or more associated test slots  310  are configured to move disk drives  500  internally from one test slot  310  to another test slot  310 , as in the case where the test slots  310  are provisioned for different kinds of tests. 
     In some examples, the method includes actuating the automated transporter  200  to deposit the disk drive transporter  550  in the test slot  310  after depositing the tested disk drive  500  at a destination location (e.g. in a disk drive receptacle  620  of a destination disk drive tote  600 ), or repeating the method by retrieving another disk drive  500  for testing (e.g. from the disk drive receptacle  620  of a source disk drive tote  600 ). 
     In some implementations, the automated transporter  200  includes the manipulator  700 , discussed above, which allows the automated transporter  200  to retrieve, handle, and deliver multiple disk drives  500  and/or disk drive transporters  550 . For example, the automated transporter  200  can retrieve and carry one untested disk drive  500  in a disk drive transporter  500  held by one arm  720 ,  730  of the manipulator  700 , and deliver the untested disk drive  500  to a test slot  310 . At the test slot  310 , the automated transporter  200  removes a disk drive transporter  550  carrying a test disk drive  500  currently in the test slot  310 , before inserting the disk drive transporter  550  carrying the untested disk drive  500  into the test slot  310  for testing. The automated transporter  200  then delivers the tested disk drive  500  to a destination location, such as a receptacle  620  of a destination disk drive tote  600 . In another example, the automated transporter  200  can retrieve and carry two untested disk drives  500 , one on each arm  720 ,  730  of the manipulator  700 , and then deliver the two untested disk drives  500  to respective test slots  310  for testing. The automated transporter  700  can then be actuated to retrieve two tested disk drives  500  from their respective slots  310  (e.g. by engaging and removing their respective disk drive transporters  550  with the manipulator  700 ), and deliver the tested disk drives  500  to a destination location, such as two receptacles  620  of one or more destination disk drive totes  600 . If one tested disk drive  500  passed the disk drive testing and the other failed, they may be placed in different destination disk drive totes  600 , such a “passed” disk drive tote  600  and a “failed” disk drive tote  600 . 
     The manipulator  700  allows the automated transporter  200  to move multiple disk drives  500  and/or disk drive transporters  550  within the disk drive testing system  100  to accomplish more tasks than previously achievable by a manipulator capable of only handling one disk drive  500  and/or disk drive transporter  550  at a time. The increased flexibility allows for path planning of the automated transporter  200  to optimize its movements. 
     A number of implementations have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.