Getting to Know the SLC NAND USB Flash Drive

USB flash drives are familiar to even novice computer users. Many people may remember carrying them on a keychain to transport documents to printers or music files to a friend. SLC NAND USB flash drives are different from these consumer models that are so familiar. They combine the convenience of USBs with the rugged operation capacity required for industrial use. These are used for devices in diverse industries, including healthcare, transportation, and military applications.

What is an SLC NAND USB flash drive?

An SLC NAND USB flash drive does not look different from commercial and consumer grade flash drives, but it acts very differently. These advanced flash drives are built using single-level cell, or SLC, NAND flash, which is a high-grade version of volatile flash storage.

SLC differs from the multi-level cell, or MLC, flash that is used in consumer grade products in that it only saves one bit of data per cell. Doing so has multiple advantages for industrial grade products. Saving only one bit of data on each cell reduces the risk of lost data during power failures, as well as the risk of a problem with one cell spreading to others. It also allows the flash device to work much faster, since saving one bit of data requires a less intensive series of events within the storage device.

What are the advantages of SLC NAND USB flash drives?

USB drives that meet industrial grade standards exceed the operating specifications of consumer products. They have capacities of up to 32GB and operating temperature ranges of -45 degrees C to 85 degrees C. They are also highly resistant to shock and vibration, and have sequential read speeds of up to 32MB/s and write speeds of up to 30MB/s.

For industrial users, compatibility is an ongoing issue. SLC NAND USB flash drives are designed with controlled bills of materials, or BOMs, so no key component of the storage can be altered without a complete parts change. That means that industrial users won’t experience sudden, unexpected failures in the field due to component changes that rendered the storage incompatible with the application.

SLC NAND USB flash drives are a good fit for industrial customers who need portable storage that is reliable and user-friendly. Delkin can provide industrial engineering samples and answer questions about rugged storage solutions. Contact our product engineers to discuss your needs.