Head arm assembly having an integral arm with a portion encased in a rigid molded material

A head arm assembly for use in a disk file includes an elongated thin element having one end supporting a head gimbal assembly (HGA) which is biased toward a recording surface of a magnetic disk during normal operation. The element is preferably made of a metal that has a flex characteristic predetermined in accordance with selected specifications of the head arm. The opposite end of the element is provided with an etched out opening for a pivot bearing and is encased in a moldable material having a different and more rigid flex characteristic. The head arm assembly is provided with the required two flex characteristics for successful operation but does not require the precise joining of two separate and distinct metal elements.