Swissbit introduces industrial grade 3D-NAND using the E.MC 5.1 standard interface

Swissbit expands its line of small storage solutions with the introduction of EM-30 devices using the E.MC 5.1 standard interface. The BGA package combines advanced controllers with industrial-grade 3D-NAND and firmware for the most demanding applications. With capacities ranging from 16GB to 256GB, the EM-30 offers significant cost savings compared to previous 2D-NAND solutions. Applications include embedded systems, POS/POI terminals, factory automation, routers and switches, Internet of Things (IoT) and healthcare system solutions.

The EM-30 product family complies with the E.MC 5.1 specification and has full backward compatibility. This is a mature standard, so integration is easy. The product family supports temperature ranges from -40 to +85°C, making it ideal for the most important embedded applications. With read speeds of up to 300 MB/s and write speeds of 230 MB/s, and read and write random access of 39K and 41K IOPS, the EM-30 achieves the performance of SATA SSDS, but with significantly reduced size requirements and cost.

Data refresh and reliability

Similar to regular size SSDS, the firmware of the EM-30 supports automatic background data refresh for read-only areas such as boot partitions. This, combined with powerful error correction, ensures that unaccessed data remains extremely reliable, even when exposed to high temperatures for long periods of time.

Another special feature is the improved ability to protect data from being damaged in the event of a sudden power outage, which can occur not only in areas with unstable power supply, but also in medical devices and embedded systems that need to be moved at any time.

Solutions for the future

This new E.MC product line is positioned to meet the growing demand for embedded systems and their new chipsets, which often require ultra-small, vibration-resistant enclosures and increasing data storage capacity. Roger Griesemer, General Manager of Storage Solutions at Swissbit AG, explains that by combining support for Extended Lifetime Monitoring with the possibility of future firmware updates that do not lose data and can be carried out in real-world environments, This, combined with Swissbit's reliable service life, makes the new EM-30 series a future-proof solution for our customers.

Predictable service life

The device is available in an 11.5x13mm BGA153 package with a pitch of 0.5mm, and a BGA100 package with a pitch of 1mm is also available. For welded components, it is important to know the expected service life under real conditions. The EM-30 can access the register of E.MC in the normal way to query details of write cycle consumption and internal resources, without special access methods or installation of drivers. This feature even goes beyond E.MC standards to reliably predict actual service life.

Flexible configuration

The EM-30 device can be divided into several TLC and pSLC (Enhanced Reliability) zones to effectively separate the read-only area from the partitions that need to be written frequently. For NAND with optimal durability, Swissbit also offers EM-36 models preconfigured with 100% pSLC. They are available in capacities ranging from 5 to 80 GB.