Secure Digital Card Overview

If you’ve ever looked into options for embedded flash memory, then you are likely to have encountered a Secure Digital card, or SD card. SD is a type of flash memory card that has been on the market since 1999, and thanks to consistent product upgrades and updates, it remains a popular choice for industrial devices that rely on stable, dependable data storage. SD cards are all designed using protocols established by the Secure Digital Association, so users can count on a standard design no matter who manufactures their card.

There are five memory cards in the SD line, and within those five cards, there are three different sizes—original, mini, and micro. These sizes allow SD cards to be used in a variety of different products that need reliable memory and high-capacity storage in a very limited space. There are also different classes of SD cards available. The class refers to the speed of the device. Speeds of up to 6MB/s are available with Class 6 SD cards.

When SD cards were initially introduced to the market, they were designed to replace MMCs—multi-media cards—which were largely used in consumer devices, such as cameras. However, their reliability, design standards, and small form factor made SD cards a fast favorite among industrial users.

Secure Digital Cards for the Industrial Market

Industrial grade SD cards are designed to meet the needs of customers who require flawless data storage plus the ability to work in exacting conditions without any loss of speed or functionality. This means the ability to work in temperatures as low as -45 degrees C and as high as 85 degrees C, as well as the ability to withstand high levels of shock and vibration without data loss or disruptions during read and write cycles.

Industrial grade SD cards have another feature that matters to users in the industrial marketplace: a controlled bill of materials (BOM). With a controlled BOM, the manufacturer will not change any of the critical components of the SD card without providing advanced notice and issuing a new product number. These critical components include the firmware, controller, and other elements that could cause issues for the end user if they were changed without warning. A controlled BOM prevents mass failures from occurring in the field due to parts changes, which is essential in industries such as healthcare, automation, and digital signage.

Industrial SD cards from Delkin strictly adhere to the Secure Digital Association’s specifications and can be customized to meet your needs. Talk to our product team to learn more about how this memory card could work in your application.