RAMAC

“Rotating magnetic disks came out on top in our analysis, chiefly because of its rotational dynamics, the potential of multiple accesses and the efficient surface-to-size ratio.”

“One engineer advised Johnson that he was backing a mechanical folly. The popular name for the disk array was ‘the baloney slicer.’”

“However, one problem that turned out to be quite difficult was coating the disks with iron oxide paint to a uniform thickness and smooth finish. The oxide paint we were using was essentially the same as was used to paint the Golden Gate Bridge. One of the engineers suggested pouring the paint near the center of a rotating disk and allowing centrifugal force to spread a smooth uniform coat over the disk surface. Another engineer found that filtering the paint through a silk stocking showed that by filling a tray of paper cups with just the right amount of paint, the coating thickness would be the same from disk to disk. This system was used for many years. It was later incorporated into the equipment that automated the process.”