Enclosure Is it required to have some kind of rubber-like coating on HDD-trays?

[Mortis Angelus]

I am making my own custom case, and thus I have also made my own HDD/SSD holders/trays. I was just going to attach the hard drives to the trays (which are made from Aluminium). But on most commercial trays, there is a thin layer of either plastic or rubber. Is that required or is it just there to make it look nicer?

 

[ignsvn]

If I recall correctly, those rubber strips are there to dampen vibration (noise) of the spinning platter.

Most likely become less important if you use non-mechanical drive aka SSD.

 

[Mortis Angelus]

If I recall correctly, those rubber strips are there to dampen vibration (noise) of the spinning platter.

Most likely become less important if you use non-mechanical drive aka SSD.

No, I dont mean those rubberpads. On the inside of trays, there is like this (what I presume is) non-conductive film/layer of either plastic or rubber-like material.

 

[ignsvn]

No, I dont mean those rubberpads. On the inside of trays, there is like this (what I presume is) non-conductive film/layer of either plastic or rubber-like material.

Whops sorry. Perhaps a pic would help.

 

[Mortis Angelus]

Whops sorry. Perhaps a pic would help.

I dont have a commercial tray on hand atm. But I guess the main question is: is there a need for coating the inner side of the tray with some non-conducting material? If so, I guess I put some thin paper or so.

 

[Mortis Angelus]

E.g. here on this pic from Interwebz, you can see how the tray is made from pretty much untreated metal, but the area where the drives go is covered with plastic (black colored stuff). If I dont add something similar to my trays, do I risk short-circuiting my drive?

 

[ignsvn]

I see.. I cannot really answer whether it's required or not, but for comparison, my Silverstone SG08 drive tray is all bare metal without plastic/rubber sheet

FYI the case body is SECC metal, not sure if the tray is also SECC metal or alumunium metal or something else.

Example: https://www.anandtech.com/show/6944/silverstone-sugo-sg08-miniitx-case-review/3

 

[drunker]

No, you will not short your drive. This is what I would assume a cost saving measure. It's almost impossible to short an ssd or hardrive

 

[Mortis Angelus]

No, you will not short your drive. This is what I would assume a cost saving measure. It's almost impossible to short an ssd or hardrive

Okay, thanks!

But how is it a cost saving feature to add some coating/layer if you could just be without it?

 

[drunker]

Okay, thanks!

But how is it a cost saving feature to add some coating/layer if you could just be without it?

well, I might be wrong but this definitely has nothing to do with preventing shorts

 

[Honegod]

The underside of my Seagate 2.5"
Harddrive has many copper dots exposed, so I intend the mounts I am fabricating to allow nothing anywhere near the bottom side.

+ having free space allows cooling air flow to get to that side.

(HDDs need air, SSDs not so much)