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Memorex hosts trade press and major industry analysts - mrxhist.org

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Bob Milo promoted to new GMpost south of the borderRobert Milo has been promoted tothe newly-created position of generalmanager of the Tucson/Nogales/Magdalena facilities, reporting to BillKrehbiel, vice president of off-siteoperations for Storage EquipmentManufacturing <strong>and</strong> Development.Milo has been involved with theMexican Operations for the last threeyears while it has grown to include over1,000 employees. During that period,according to Krehbiel, manufacture inMexico has contributed strongly toreduced manufacturing costs of<strong>Memorex</strong> products, both in disc drives<strong>and</strong> in Communications products.Milo joined <strong>Memorex</strong> in 1979. Prior tothat, he had been president of BurcliffInternational <strong>and</strong> had held key positionswith the Molex Corporation as directorof manufacturing, director of materials,<strong>and</strong> plant manager. He holds a BA inbusiness <strong>and</strong> Spanish from Wayne StateUniversity.Thin-film technology setsnew <strong>Memorex</strong> products apart<strong>Memorex</strong>-developed thin-film recordingheads are the components whichdistinguish the first three entries in a newseries of products introduced by thecompany on September 8, setting themapart from the current generation of discstorage products.The new products are the 3690subsystem, the 3680 subsystem <strong>and</strong> the680 disc file.The 3690 subsystem, already installed<strong>and</strong> generating revenue in customers'shops outside the United States, includesa disc file called the 3690, <strong>and</strong> a disc file<strong>and</strong> controller unit called the 3693. Eachunit has a single head disc assembly(HDA) with a disc which rotates in avertical position, <strong>and</strong> each has a datastorage capacity of 571.3 megabytes(MB). The HDAs each have twoindependently addressable actuators,each of which can get at half of thestorage space. The units transfer data ata rate of 1.86 MB per second, <strong>and</strong> theiraverage access time is 20 milliseconds.The 3693 contains interface, power <strong>and</strong>control circuits, as well.Delivery <strong>and</strong> installation of the3690 made <strong>Memorex</strong> the first independentsupplier of plug-compatible discstorage subsystems to actually deliverproduction-level devices using advancedthin-film recording heads developed <strong>and</strong>produced on an in-house basis.The 3680 subsystem includes astorage control unit called the 3888, astring controller called the 3683, <strong>and</strong>, inthe minimum configuration, two 3680 discfiles.Current disc storage products useferrite recording heads to read <strong>and</strong> writedata. Ferrite heads are manufactured by amechanical process, <strong>and</strong> the copperwires of their transducers have to bewound by h<strong>and</strong>.Thin-film recording heads aremanufactured <strong>and</strong> tested in batches,using semiconductor-type processes to"grow" the heads on wafers made of aproprietary material with propertiessimilar to glass. Photolithographictechniques are used, along with varioussemiconductor-type processes, todeposit the components of the heads onthe wafer. Machining <strong>and</strong> othermechanical processes, including h<strong>and</strong>winding of copper wire, are eliminated. Akey advantage of the thin-film process isthat much tinier dimensions can beachieved, <strong>and</strong> this is a principal factor inincreasing the amount of data which canbe packed into a given space on amagnetic disc.As a result, the 3680 subsystem offersfour times the storage capacity of the<strong>Memorex</strong> 3650, <strong>and</strong> twice the capacity ofthe dual-density <strong>Memorex</strong> 3652, whilerequiring less floorspace.The 3680 subsystem has a storagecapacity of 1.26 gigabytes (billions ofbytes), an average access time of 16milliseconds, <strong>and</strong> a data transfer rateof 3 MB per second. It utilizes "thicksubstrate"media, meaning that itsaluminum platters are twice as thick as ast<strong>and</strong>ard 14-inch disc. This, in addition toa horizontal spindle supported at bothends (rather than the usual verticalspindle supported only at the bottom),gives the media enhanced stability <strong>and</strong>improves the reliability of the disc file.A <strong>major</strong> feature of the 3680 disc file isits single-spindle architecture. Thisunique feature allows strings of disc filesto be configured in odd, as well as even,numbers of spindles beyond the minimumconfiguration. To date, <strong>Memorex</strong> is theonly company to introduce an advancedthin-film-head disc file with single-spindlearchitecture to the 3380 marketplace.The 3680 subsystem offers a widearray of enhancements designed toimprove throughput, availability, reliability<strong>and</strong> serviceability. These includemicroprocessors in each unit of thesubsystem, to facilitate diagnostics; atelephone interface to allow remoteanalyses <strong>and</strong> diagnostics; <strong>and</strong> featuressuch as Maximum Availability PathSelection (or "MAPS," for short), whichallows two simultaneous read/writes perstring at the actuator level.The 680 disc file is identical to the3680, but it will have OEM interfacing.Shipments of both the 3680 <strong>and</strong> the OEM680 are scheduled to commence in thefirst quarter of 1983, with volumeshipments of production units scheduledfor the third quarter of 1983.O'Reilly managingClondalkin plantDerrie O'Reilly has been promoted tomanaging director of <strong>Memorex</strong>'smagnetic media plant near Clondalkin,Irel<strong>and</strong>, southwest of Dublin. O'Reillyreports to Brendan Staveley, vicepresident <strong>and</strong> general manager of theFlexible Disc Media Division, whom hesucceeded in the top managementposition at the Irel<strong>and</strong> facility.O'Reilly joined <strong>Memorex</strong> in 1979 asindustrial relations manager with thestart-up team for the Clondalkin facility.Prior to that, he had been industrialrelations manager for Becton Dickinson'ssurgical instrument manufacturing plant<strong>and</strong> for Antigen Pharmaceutical;managing diretor for W. O'Brien PlantHire, Inc. <strong>and</strong> a partner in a motorbusiness;.all in Irel<strong>and</strong>.Moynahan recognizes effortsof 3680 production teamsMicroprocessor diagnostics built into<strong>Memorex</strong>'s recently introduced 3680 discstorage subsystem have proven veryuseful to those who have worked on thedesign <strong>and</strong> testing of the subsystem,according to Dennis Moynahan, 3680program manager.The h<strong>and</strong>-held monitor—designed foreventual use by customer engineers whowill use it to plug into any of the 3680subsystem devices for diagnosticpurposes—"has been one of the principalthings which Design Engineering hasused for debugging" of the subsystemcomponents, Moynahan said.Microprocessor-based diagnosticsbuilt into the 3680 devices have been"valuable in debugging pre-Productionhardware," he said."Commuter Saluter"month announcedThe month of October is soon to benamed "Commuter Saluter Month" inSanta Clara County by the Board ofSupervisors who are putting together aresolution to that effect. A flurry ofactivities is being planned in conjunctionwith that which will take place throughoutthe Valley <strong>and</strong> at <strong>Memorex</strong>.The purpose of the program is toencourage <strong>and</strong> reward commuters whobus, train, carpool, or vanpool to work. Tosupport that, the Santa Clara CountyManufacturing Group TransportationTask Force <strong>and</strong> the San Jose Mercury-News are co-sponsoring a contest aboutwhich details will be posted throughout<strong>Memorex</strong> Santa Clara facilities duringOctober.Other events taking place duringOctober are the opening of the SouthernPacific (SP) Lawrence Ex<strong>press</strong>waystation, the completion of the new SanTomas Ex<strong>press</strong>way commuter lanes, <strong>and</strong>exhibits at several Valley companies onpast, present, <strong>and</strong> future transportationmodes. The exhibit will be on display atthe <strong>Memorex</strong> San Tomas cafeteria fromNovember 2 through November 12.Transit information displays willalso be set up during the first week ofNovember at the San Tomas cafeteria,the <strong>Memorex</strong> Drive cafeteria, <strong>and</strong> theCommunications Group cafeteriawhere employees can get commuterinformation.As an added incentive, CountyTransit is offering reduced fares on sixbus ex<strong>press</strong> routes during the month ofOctober. Those discounted tickets willbe available at the MAG store Mondaythrough Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Assoon as the new Lawrence Ex<strong>press</strong>waySP station is open, train tickets willbe available at the MAG office, as well. A"Free Fare Day" is being sponsored byKEEN Radio. Watch MAG bulletin boardsfor further information during the monthsof October <strong>and</strong> November.A Product Test Team, headed byChris Christman, is guiding the 3680components through design validationtesting, Moynahan said. This provides animpartial evaluation, he said, sincemembers of the team are people whowere not connected with the design of theproduct. "Having this different set of eyes<strong>and</strong> ears is deliberate," he said.Much of <strong>Memorex</strong>'s progress on the3680 project, Moynahan said, is owed tothe efforts of Jack Osborne's MagneticHead Recording Programs Group, betterknown as "the thin-film pilot line," <strong>and</strong>of Don Johnson's Rigid Media <strong>and</strong>Components Division engineering team,which developed the thick-substratemedia for the 3680.Osborne's group developed thesecond-generation thin-film heads usedon the,3680 disc file.Leon Sarringhaus, currently the actinggeneral manager of Disc Media, Inc.,contributed a great deal to the 3680program as assistant program manager,with a special emphasis on the media,Moynahan said. Sarringhaus was loanedfrom the 3680 program to head up themedia joint venture company establishedby <strong>Memorex</strong> <strong>and</strong> Control DataCorporation. <strong>Memorex</strong>'s RMCDcurrently provides media to the 3680program for pilot activity, under contractfrom DMI, the joint venture companyheaded by Sarringhaus, Moynahan said.Moynahan, who has been with<strong>Memorex</strong> for 11 years, reports to AlConover, vice president, Planning <strong>and</strong>Program Management.Bowlathon winnerHoward Self, senior engineer analyst inthe Large Disc Drive Division, was thewinner in the recent Junior AchievementBowl-A-Thon, a fund-raising event forJA in Santa Clara Valley. Self won bycollecting more pledges than any otherbowler, raising a total of $1,238. For hisefforts, Self was awarded with a newbowling ball <strong>and</strong> a gift certificate.Congratulations, Howard.Dates set forUW campaignOur 1982 United Way Campaign will beheld from October 24 to November 5. All<strong>Memorex</strong> employees will have theopportunity to help the many people whocannot help themselves. When we give toUnited Way, we're helping others <strong>and</strong>we're helping ourselves the United Way.Because we know you think UnitedWay is important, we set aside time,during normal working hours for you toattend United Way information meetings.Additional information will be distributedduring October about the 1982 <strong>Memorex</strong>United Way Campaign.Castle announces re<strong>org</strong>anization"In order to more efficiently addressthe marketplace for our equipmentbusinesses <strong>and</strong> take full advantage of theopportunities it represents," Dr. JamesCastle, executive vice president, hasrecently announced the following<strong>org</strong>anizational changes.The marketing activities for thedomestic end-user Storage Equipmentbusiness will transfer from U.S.Equipment Sales <strong>and</strong> Service intoStorage Equipment Planning <strong>and</strong>Program Management. As a result, SamSpadafora, manager of the marketing<strong>org</strong>anizaton, will now report to AllanConover, vice president of StorageEquipment Planning <strong>and</strong> ProgramManagement. Spadafora will haveresponsibility for <strong>industry</strong> marketing,product marketing, <strong>major</strong> accountprograms, marketing communications,<strong>and</strong> marketing services.The sales support activities, managedby Woody Hancock, will report directlyto Bob Berry, vice president of U.S.Equipment Sales <strong>and</strong> Service. Thesystems engineering activities, managedby Larry Miller, will also report to Berry.The Corporate Design Center, managedby Al Schuler; Guest Relations,managed by Harold Stanley; <strong>and</strong> SpecialEvents <strong>and</strong> Exhibits, coordinated byCindy Fischer, will all transfer from U.S.Equipment Sales <strong>and</strong> Service into theCorporate Business Development <strong>org</strong>anizationmanaged by Michael Haltom, vicepresident of business development.According to Castle, "these<strong>org</strong>anizational changes are importantin structuring our equipment marketingactivities to address their respectivemarkets <strong>and</strong> our sales <strong>and</strong> serviceactivities to address our commonequipment customers."

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