Fixturing a head spindle assembly with a retracting collet

A method for precisely fixturing a head stack assembly comprising:

• supporting a spring loaded collet in a housing, the collet having longitudinally segmented gripping members that are selectively moveable relative to the housing to different longitudinal positions differentiating a first mode, where the gripping members are radially expanded establishing a clearing disengagement from the head stack assembly, and a second mode, where the gripping members are radially retracted establishing a contacting engagement against the head stack assembly;
• latching the collet to retain the gripping members in the first mode;
• inserting a protuberant feature of the head stack assembly into the gripping members during the latching step;
• unlatching the collet to permit the spring to impart a longitudinal force to displace the gripping members to the second mode and to maintain the longitudinal force in the second mode so the longitudinal force transfers to the head stack assembly via the contacting engagement of the gripping members against the head stack assembly in the second mode of the gripping members.