Delkin Blog

Industrial SD cards provide essential NAND flash storage solutions for the highest level of ruggedness and durability suitable for a broad range of critical applications, including transportation, healthcare, gaming, and embedded computing. Pricing for industrial SD cards can vary depending on the capacity of the card and any specific customizations a client requests. Although pricing for commercial grade cards is often less expensive, industrial grade customers could face more expense in the long run by trying to compromise. Here is what you need to know.

What are the specs for an industrial SD card?

• 128MB to 32GB capacity
• SLC flash
• -40 degrees C to 85 degrees C operating temperature
• 25MB/s read speed and 21MB/s write speed
• 10 year data retention
• >2 million hours MTBF (at 0 to 25 degrees C)
• SMART feature enabled

When isn’t a commercial grade SD card sufficient?

Commercial grade SD cards perform reliably and are ideal for appropriate applications. However, when industrial grade functionality is necessary, a commercial card can be risky. Commercial SD cards use MLC Flash storage, which does not offer the same degree of data protection as SLC Flash. They also tend to have lower data retention parameters. In addition, commercial cards frequently lack the controlled BOM of industrial grade cards, which leaves your application vulnerable to parts changes that could interfere with functionality. Saving money with a commercial grade card may cause costly data or functionality loss in the future.

What is the price of an industrial SD card?

Pricing is highly specific for industrial customers, as cards can be customized to meet specific client needs. Some of the factors that impact pricing include:

• Capacity
• Speed class
• Custom labeling
• Unique formatting

A wide range of host-specific parameters will determine the total cost of your industrial SD card. These customizations allow for SD cards to be created with industry-specific needs in mind, accounting for the vast differences in needs in industries such as aerospace vs. digital signage for example.

Delkin’s product team is available to answer questions about our industrial SD cards and how they can fit into your budget. Products, part selectors, spec downloads, and engineering samples are available on our website.