Linear air bearing with vacuum stiffener

The present invention relates generally to the field of mass storage devices. More particularly, this invention relates to a combined linear bearing and vacuum stiffener for use with a high density disc drive servo track writing apparatus. One aspect of the invention relates to an apparatus and method for loading and securing a disc drive head disk assembly (HDA) in a servo track writing apparatus. The HDA includes a base, a disc stack coupled to a spindle rotatably attached to the base by a spindle shaft, and an actuator assembly pivotally attached to the base at a pivot shaft. Attached to one end of the actuator assembly proximal the disc stack is at least one transducer for reading/writing information from/to the discs. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a vacuum block having an air bearing and a vacuum stiffener. The vacuum stiffener is selectively used simultaneously with the air bearing to preload the latter. Alternatively, the vacuum stiffener is used independently of the air bearing to vacuum couple the vacuum block to a guide surface. By allowing both vacuum preload and vacuum coupling, the vacuum block of the present invention provides precise HDA placement and retainment with little or no manual operator intervention. Further it reduces the complexity of the STW by eliminating the need to provide a separate preload device.