Computer History UNIVAC MAGNETIC DRUM ANALYZER Calibrator Mass Storage Unit, Sperry FASTRAND 1963

The Sperry UNIVAC FAST RAND ANALYZER AND CALIBRATOR, field engineering customer service unit. In this video, we take a detailed look at the 1963 "Clock and Sector Generator” designed to analyze and calibrate the Mass Storage magnetic drum systems made by Sperry Univac during the 1960’s, known as FASTRAND.

We look at the external connectors and the internal workings of the UNIVAC FASTRAND Analyzer.
FAST RAND was designed for use with UNIVAC's eleven hundred series computer, and the 418, 490 and 494 series Computers.

We obtained a vintage test unit in excellent condition, with some rare Sperry Univac training documentation. We explore the inner workings of this rare testing unit. Runs 7 mins, includes photo gallery.

More information on the UNIVAC FASTRAND Mass Storage machines can also be found in this video:

1963 Sperry Rand UNIVAC FASTRAND Magnetic Drum

With special thanks to UNISYS Corporation.
Uploaded by Computer History Archives Project

[Dallas]

Thanks to those who came before us. You did good...

[stevew]

The company I first worked for in 1970 had two systems with each 6 Fastrand IIIs. Some Fastrand stories of the time:

1. The drums were originally manufactured as steel sewer pipes which had been machined down inside and outside to the required dimensions and balanced.

2. After the Fastrands were scrapped the drums of some units were converted to field rollers for golf or cricket fields (in England, obviously).

3. When mounted in US warships (probably part of BUSHIPS programme) the gyroscopic effects of the running drums affected the ship's manoeuvrability.

4. In the Roseville, MN, manufacturing complex, during a hurried attempt to ship a new system, immediately after testing the technicians boxed up an FH432 fast drum and picked it up with a forklift for loading on the shipping truck. The first time the forklift operator tried to make a right angle turn the shipping case tried to continue on its original path because the drum was still spinning down and crashed to the floor.

Don't know if any of these are true but the nature of drums at the time encouraged such stories. The Fastrands were huge, and with the tinted windows showing the rotating drum, strangely sinister looking. The FH432s were just in a standard cabinet but the knowledge of the insane speeds (for that time) and the rotating mass of the drum were immensely impressive. A seized bearing could have caused massice chaos.

[christopherjackson]

I would love to hear from someone who actually used one of these in field. Fascinating moment in history.

[nasabear]

When I was at the University of Maryland in the late 70s they still had a Univac 1108 and an 1106. I know the 1108 had at least one FASTRAND drum, but I never saw it, as the computer room was off limits.

[garthhowe]

Thanks for the video; a very interesting bit of tech. It would be fascinating to see how this is used. I don't expect very many people knew how to use it, and they would have to be in their 80's, at least.

[polara]

Very nice piece of equipment. Hopefully someone will provide more info on this unit. Specialized test equipment is always interesting.

[rnb]

I’m guessing the people who had first hand knowledge of this would all be passed on now.

[wheelwarrior]

For a > $100k hard drive weighing north of 2 tons with an 8 foot drum requiring floor reinforcement ... why didn't they just build the analyzer into the Goddang thing? 😂