Delkin Blog

Background- Looking for SD Card Solutions 

A customer reached out to Delkin in frustration over the SD cards that they had purchased from another supplier and were looking for better SD card solutions. The customer had been using the same SD cards from that same supplier for years. However, they suddenly didn’t seem to be working the same way. The customer couldn’t understand what the problem was or how to solve it. They were frustrated that the SD card malfunctions were delaying their project.

Customer Story

According to the customer, they had been ordering commercial SD cards from a recognized national supplier for years and had used them extensively. Before selecting this card, the customer had tested several different commercial SD cards and chose this one for its reliability. They assumed that buying the same product from the same supplier meant that they could trust that the product wouldn’t change. However, their most recent shipment just didn’t work with their application at all.

At first, the customer assumed the problem was on their end. After confirming that no software or hardware changes had occurred and that the OS was up to date, they knew the problem had to be with the SD cards. They were even more frustrated when they contacted the supplier. The customer struggled to find anyone who could even discuss the technical aspects of their application with them. Ultimately, when they did find someone to help, they learned that the bill of materials (BOM) had changed for the card. In fact, because the card was consumer grade, the BOM had changed multiple times over their order history—this just happened to be the change that made the cards completely incompatible. The customer was shocked to discover that their SD cards were not as predictable as they had thought. They decided to turn to Delkin for assistance.

Delkin Discovery

Delkin discussed the customer’s technical needs with them and then used a host provided by the customer to test different embedded memory options. Ultimately, the Delkin Customer Applications Engineering team developed a customized rugged SD card solution that worked perfectly with the customer’s application. The customer tested the Delkin product on their end and then placed a large volume order. The cards were built in Delkin’s facility in Poway, California. The Delkin solution easily fit into the customer’s budget, making it an ideal option.

Delkin Solution

Delkin’s rugged SD cards have a locked BOM. This means that the part number of the card is specifically associated with the firmware, controller, flash, and other components in the card. No change to any critical component that could affect compatibility will happen until Delkin issues a new product number. When plans are underway to issue a new product number, the customer will receive advanced warning. This ensures that the customer can place a final order, if desired, and can plan for a managed transition to the new card.

Lessons Learned

With consumer grade SD cards, the BOM changes frequently—without notice to customers—in an effort to reduce the manufacturing costs. For industrial users, this can cause costly disruptions and downtime. Industrial cards, like Delkin’s rugged SD cards, have locked BOMs, making them more reliable for customers.

Delkin’s Technical Team Can Help

Delkin’s Customer Applications Engineering team can help keep your business from being sidelined by memory card failures. We’re on standby to help your company find the best rugged embedded SD card solutions for your application.

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