Method of assembling a plurality of disk drives

A method for assembling a plurality of disk drives, the method comprising:

• providing an assembly-plate comprising a plate alignment feature (PAF) and a plurality of cells wherein each cell has a cell alignment feature (CAF) and is adapted to receive and retain a disk drive;
• determining a valid alignment of the assembly-plate in relation to a disk drive assembly device based on the PAF;
• selecting a disk drive for assembly if the assembly-plate is in valid alignment;
• determining a valid alignment of a selected cell in relation to the disk drive assembly device based on the CAF of the selected cell;
• placing an initial component of the selected disk drive in the selected cell wherein the initial component is retained by the cell via a retention feature of the cell;
• repeating the selecting, the determining a valid alignment of a selected cell, and the placing for each disk drive in the plurality of disk drives;
• and
• completing the assembling of each disk drive during which each disk drive remains in its cell.