Archives for PCMCIA

Global chip shortage causes shortage in PCMCIA and compact flash card market

The global chip shortage not has affected the automobile industry but the component industry and the production of PCMCIA ATA Type II and Compact Flash cards as well. These cards use both controller chips and NAND flash non volatile chips. Without both these chips military and commercial aircraft are grounded. Equipment in the textile, medical and industrial industries are offline. CNC machines cannot make new parts from CAD designs. Subway trains are taken out of service because their TOD and positive train control systems software cannot be loaded.

Legacy support of these systems is needed to maintain and support DOTs. The costs of new trains and planes are out of the scope for the budget of these entities. Their staff is scrambling to locate parts that are compatible with these older legacy systems.

Purchasing agents need to get accurate lead times for their parts. Place orders soon and not rely on Just-in-time inventory solutions. Rely on Just-in-case solutions to keep your production on schedule.

Where to find SLC flash memory and support

16GB PCMCIA Card

16GB SSD-P PCMCIA Card

As many traditional suppliers are transitioning to MLC flash from SLC flash memory how can you be sure you are getting industrial grade flash memory products?

Consider this before buying any SLC flash memory:

NOT ALL FLASH MEMORY IS CREATED EQUAL

Though MLC flash memory may be more cost effective to you it is not more reliable that SLC manufactured memory.  SLC flash memory includes advanced wear leveling algorithms for better durability and longevity.

Industrial flash cards are temperature rated at -40C to +85C  operating temperature.  Additional specifications include shock ratings of 1500G and vibration tested to 20G.

Companies looking to replace older flash memory such as Sandisk, Kingston or SiliconSystems, will need to consider the proper level of support in addition to the correct flash hardware component.

Older cards having used the latest chips and BIOS of their time will be difficult to replace.  Transitioning to a newer chipset with a new BIOS capable of addressing larger capacities will allow for the transition of legacy hardware to available flash products on the market today.

The search engines will return a plethora of potential hardware suppliers.  However you must consider the post support available after you have purchased.  Pre & Post support are critical to a smooth transition of hardware components.

One such partner to consider is www.SSDsDirect.com….  Armed with a new interactive website, product reviews, comments and questions related to SLC flash memory offers you the level of support you need to determine the right amount of support needed to complete you project in a successful and timely manner.

Ask your supplier is they offer samples and offer post technical support on the product as it relates to your installation.  With you over 15 years of flash memory experience www.PCcardsDirect.com… and its affiliates offers a high level of support no available to most online e-Tail, retail and VAR.

Contact sales at PCcardsDirect.com… for additional information regarding this article.

 

Quick Access Recorder 512MB PCcardsDirect Industrial Card

Quick Access Recorder has accepted the PCcardsDirect 512MB industrial flash card part number #PCDATA512MBI.

Please contact sales@PCcardsDirect.com… for additional information.   Higher capacities also available.

Alice 4 polysomnograph PCMCIA Memory card

Alice 4 polysomnograph has accepted the 512MB industrial flash PCMCIA card part number #PCDATA512MBI.

For additional information contact sales@PCcardsDirect.com…

PCMCIA Memory What to know before you buy

Before microSD, SD, MMC and Compact Flash the removable flash standard was PCMCIA cards.  All laptops came equipment with a PCMCIA slot to accept a PCMCIA ATA type II card.

Still used today by the military and industrial equipment PCMCIA cards are available in different builds, know the difference before you buy.

Like other types of flash memory, PCMCIA cards are available in both MLC and SLC chipsets.  those unfamiliar with these standards, the most may be familiar is MLC (Multi Level Cell).  Cards built using this method are typically consumer grade and hold a temperature rating of 0C to +70C.

PCMCIA Cards built with SLC chipset are rated at -40C to +85C and typically include some type of error correction and or wear leveling technology as well.

So depending on your environment you will want to choose the appropriate card for your equipment’s needs.

In addition to the temperature and wear leveling technology PCMCIA cards are available in a plastic and metal housing.  In a majority of the cases the plastic housings are more affordable and readily available.  The metal housing cards have a longer lead time and are more rigid.  The specifications such as temperature, vibration and shock are rated the same for both housings.

One additional option that is not usually mentioned are the coatings that may be applied to the components on the cards.  One type is acrylic and the other is silicon based.  Both are used when additional vibration and shock ratings are needed in order for the cards to meet certain specifications.  Keep in mind that when ordering these cards you will void the warranty as no warranty repairs can be performed on the cards after these coatings have been applied.

For additional information visit www.PCcardsDirect.com… or contact a sales rep at sales@PCcardsDirect.com…

Top 7 Reasons why SiliconSystems PCMCIA and CF Cards are hard to find

1.  Western Digital purchased SiliconSystems.

2.  After the acquisition Western Digital discontinued production of the PCMCIA ATA Cards.  They still continue to offer compact flash cards…For now..

3.   The old “-3012” series SiliconSystems cards are no longer available.  The new series is the 4000 series.  Typically a 6-8 week lead time when purchased in quantities of 60 or more.

4.  Why off the shelf cards are not compatible  as drop in replacements?  SiliconSystems used a proprietary combination of flash and controller to assemble their cards and drives.  Many solution providers ensured that their hardware required only SiliconSystems cards to operate.

5. Are any of their options such as SiPurge, SiDestroy still available?  There other drives on the market that offer these features.  However, they are very expensive and typically cost prohibitive to anyone except the military.

6. Can I make any changes to adapt to these new cards?  Yes, typically it was the software that was configured to look for certain sectors on the SiliconSystems card.  If you have access to the code you can change it to write to any sector of a card.

7.  As the market for flash memory decreases the cost associated to develop, manufacture and promote these products continue to increase.  In a shrinking market it is difficult for companies to spend millions of dollars and operate in the black.  As a result we will continue to see legacy products disappear from the marketplace.

What options are available to continue to service and maintain legacy hardware still in operation today?  In the past five years we have had PCMCIA cards make a resurgence.  Specially industrial grade high temperature rated PCMCIA cards.  Older voice PBX  systems, routers and large scale locomotives all still require this form factor.  In all of these sectors it is not cost effective to upgrade the hardware to accommodate a card with a modern chip configuration.

PCcardsDirect has assembled a compatible PCMCIA ATA PC Card with an enhanced controller for better compatibility with older SiliconSystems cards.  Before you scrap your old hardware you will want to test a this new card.  Available from 64MB to 16GB capacities at: www.pccardsdirect.com…

SiliconSystems Cards are they still available?

Since the departure of Sandisk from the PCMCIA arena, SiliconSystems picked up the torch and has been running with it.  However, since the purchase of SiliconSystems by Western Digital, the PCMCIA PC Card form factor is no longer available as SiliconSystems.  So all of those “SSD-P” part numbers are no more.  Now this is not true for the compact flash cards.  Western Digital still offers CF cards.  However this too has changed from the traditional “-3012” suffix to the newer 4000 series.  Engineers still looking for compatible cards are urged to consider the “-S” configuration offer by PCcardsDirect.  This card offers the same controller as those used by the older now unavailable SiliconSystems Company.  Available in fixed and removable bit, engineers and technicians may order a sample to test and QC.  In certain instances software may have been developed to only write to the SiliconSystems card.  In this case changes to the code will have to take place.  For a listing of available card options visit: www.PCcardsDirect.com…

SSDPCcard-2

Sandisk and Sewing Machines more in common than you think

Sandisk the leading producer of flash memory also lends a hand to the textile industry.  Many large textile machines have used the Sandisk SDP3BI-16-201-80, 16MB PCMCIA PC Card as storage on industrial textile machines.  Large textile producers in Italy have long used these cards to store and transfer data to and from their equipment.  These industrial rated industrial temperature cards proved to be exceptional work horses.  However, these 16MB 16bit PCMCIA cards are no longer available.  Sandisk discontinued production of these cards some seven years ago, in shift to move in to the retail consumer market.  Sandisk changed their focus from industrial products to retail consumer products.  As can be seen in your local Costco with the pallets and pallets of USB drives offered in bulk.

As production shifted to consumer goods industrial users of these cards where left with a hole in their supply chain.  As today’s new laptops no longer offers a PCMCIA slot, so too has the PCMCIA cards fallen out of  favor with manufactures such as SiliconSystems, Western Digital, and Kingston.  If you are looking to support aircraft, industrial equipment too expensive to upgrade to more traditional SD or Compact Flash cards, consider evaluating the PCMCIA ATA PC Card by PCcardsDirect.  Offering capacities starting at 16MB, PCDATA16MBI, this cards is industrial shock, vibration rated and temperature tested to -40C to +85C.  View the complete offering of Industrial PCMCIA Cards at .

Airbus A320 Aircraft Downloading Data from DFDR

Recent use of the APRO WRAFC001G-SDISI-UR, 1GB PCMCIA Card has proven compatible on the aircraft.

PCMCIA Cards for CNC Machines and Military Aircraft

PCDATA128MBIPCMCIA Cards the standard for storing and transferring data on to industrial equipment.  The 128MB PCMCIA ATA Card part number PCDATA128MBI, industrial temperature rated is ideal for this requirement.