Patent ID: 7049809

Claim:
A system for handling and testing sliders to reduce handling-induced electrostatic discharge and mechanical stress and damage thereto, each of the sliders having a plurality of contact pads formed thereon, the system comprising: a slider holder having a plurality of pockets formed therein, each of the pockets receiving one of the sliders, and each of the pockets having probes that are complementary to and align with the slider contact pads for engagement therewith, the probes being electrically interconnected with a plurality of probe pads formed on the slider holder, and the slider holder further comprising a mechanism for locking and retaining the sliders in the slider holder, and for unlocking and releasing the sliders from the slider holder; and a slider loader having a receptacle for receiving the slider holder and an actuator for manipulating the mechanism to load and unload sliders with respect to the slider holder.