A method for electrode-based patterning of thin film, self-assembled nanoparticles. The chips are continuously fed without preceding steam treatment to the top of an impregnation vessel that maintains atmospheric pressure. Nominal resistance change values for write elements of a disk drive are determined at manufacturing time, and are stored within the disk drive. A device which implements that process, comprising a cutting device, a means for feeding bananas into the cutting device, and two processing conveyor devices, is also shown.