Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers on product lifecycle, warranty, technology, customization and compliance. Project-specific technical and commercial terms are confirmed separately.

Supply & Lifecycle

How does SIMORCHIP notify customers before a product is discontinued?

End-of-life handling, including any notification period, last order date and last shipment date, is confirmed according to the product lifecycle status and the terms agreed for the program. Contact SIMORCHIP sales to confirm the arrangement for your program.

Are replacement options available when a product reaches End-of-Life (EOL)?

Where a product approaches end of life, replacement models or extended supply arrangements may be evaluated according to product availability and program requirements. Applicable options are confirmed case by case with SIMORCHIP sales.

Can I place a Last Time Buy order before a product is discontinued?

A last-time-buy arrangement may be requested where a product is approaching discontinuation. Whether such an order can be accepted, and in what quantity, depends on production capacity, component availability and the terms agreed for the program, and is confirmed by SIMORCHIP sales.

Will SIMORCHIP notify customers if internal components, such as NAND flash or the controller, change?

Component or configuration changes are assessed against the approved project scope. Where a change affects a qualified configuration, notification and requalification requirements are handled according to the change-control arrangement agreed for the program.

What is the typical lead time, and can an expedited production request be made?

Standard lead time depends on the product category, capacity, and current production load; please confirm the actual lead time with SIMORCHIP sales. Expedited requests can be submitted for urgent needs, subject to production scheduling and component availability at the time.

Is there a minimum order quantity (MOQ) for industrial products?

The minimum order quantity depends on the product category, whether customization is involved, and component availability at the time. Please contact SIMORCHIP sales to confirm the actual MOQ for a specific model.

If I currently use memory or storage from another brand, can SIMORCHIP provide a compatible replacement?

SIMORCHIP has experience helping customers qualify replacement memory and storage products for existing platforms. Based on the capacity, speed, and interface of the current platform, a corresponding model can be proposed and verified through testing before mass production, serving as a second-source option alongside the existing supplier.

Industrial applications often require a fixed hardware and firmware configuration over the long term. Can SIMORCHIP support BOM lock?

Configuration-control requirements may be defined according to the approved project scope, covering the hardware and firmware configuration recorded for the program. Applicable conditions, order requirements and the period covered are confirmed with SIMORCHIP sales.

Before switching suppliers, can SIMORCHIP help validate compatibility with our existing platform?

Compatibility testing can be arranged based on the customer’s existing platform. Testing may include system initialization or recognition, functional stability and product-specific operating characteristics according to the target configuration, to confirm product-platform compatibility before formal deployment.

Warranty & RMA

Do industrial products have different warranty terms than consumer products?

The applicable warranty period is stated in the product documentation where published, or in the purchase agreement. The current DRAM family datasheets state a limited lifetime warranty; warranty terms for storage products are confirmed through the purchase agreement with SIMORCHIP sales.

Does the warranty period start from the shipment date or the installation date?

The warranty start date is defined in the applicable purchase terms. Contact SIMORCHIP sales to confirm the terms for your order.

How is the repair cost calculated for a product that is out of warranty?

Out-of-warranty products may be evaluated for paid service where repair support is available. Inspection requirements and quotation are confirmed according to the product and the reported condition. Please obtain a quotation through SIMORCHIP sales before deciding whether to proceed.

Does a repaired product receive a new warranty period?

Coverage after repair is defined in the applicable service terms. The applicable period is confirmed with SIMORCHIP sales.

Is discoloration or oxidation on the gold finger contacts covered under warranty?

Warranty coverage is determined through inspection under the applicable product warranty terms. Environmental or handling-related damage is assessed according to the reported condition and the applicable agreement. Units showing oxidation or discoloration on the contact edge can be submitted for warranty inspection through your sales or technical contact.

Is an extended warranty service available for purchase?

Availability of extended warranty terms is confirmed under the applicable commercial agreement. Please contact SIMORCHIP sales to confirm eligible products and applicable conditions.

What is the process for requesting an RMA or a Failure Analysis (FA) report for a suspected industrial product failure?

If you suspect a unit is defective, contact SIMORCHIP sales to request an RMA for inspection or replacement. If a more detailed root-cause analysis report is required for internal quality assurance or customer reporting purposes, please check with SIMORCHIP sales on whether a Failure Analysis service can be arranged. What happens after a return →

Does the warranty service include data recovery?

No. Warranty service covers inspection, repair, or replacement of the product itself, and does not include recovery or restoration of data stored on the device. Please back up important data before sending a unit for service.

Are SIMORCHIP products suitable for use in life-support systems or other critical, high-risk applications?

Suitability for life-support systems, emergency medical devices or other applications where failure could result in personal injury is not established by the standard product documentation. Applications of this type should be confirmed with SIMORCHIP, including the applicable terms, before deployment.

Technology Explained

What design differences distinguish industrial-grade products from consumer-grade products?

Depending on the product, industrial-grade designs may use tighter component and process controls, support a wider operating temperature range, or include protective treatments such as conformal coating. The specifications and processes that apply to a specific model are those stated in its product documentation.

What is Wide Temperature technology, and what operating temperature range do SIMORCHIP industrial products support?

Wide Temperature technology involves component selection and circuit design that allow a product to operate reliably across a broader temperature range than standard consumer-grade specifications, commonly needed for outdoor, automotive, or industrial-site applications with large temperature swings. The supported range varies by model; please refer to the individual product datasheet.

What is Anti-Sulfur technology, and why is it needed in industrial environments?

Sulfur compounds present at some industrial sites react with standard resistor terminations. Anti-sulfur designs use sulfur-resistant components for long-term deployment in these environments.

What is pSLC mode, and how does it benefit industrial applications?

pSLC operates flash memory that would normally store multiple bits per cell in single-bit mode, improving write speed, endurance, and data stability at the cost of usable capacity. It is commonly used in industrial applications with higher endurance requirements.

What is Power Loss Protection (PLP), and is it necessary for industrial applications?

Power Loss Protection uses backup capacitors to hold power briefly during an unexpected power loss, so cached data is committed to flash before the drive shuts down. For deployments with unstable power or frequent abnormal shutdowns this is a relevant selection criterion; whether a specific model provides the feature is stated in its product documentation.

How do over-provisioning and wear leveling help extend the service life of an industrial SSD?

Over-provisioning reserves part of the drive’s capacity for background management and bad-block replacement, while wear leveling distributes write operations evenly across storage cells to avoid excessive wear on specific blocks. Together, they help extend the service life of an SSD used in long-duty, write-intensive industrial applications.

How does error correction work in an SSD, and how does it differ from ECC memory on a DRAM module?

The ECC built into an SSD controller corrects bit errors in flash memory and is a fundamental part of SSD reliability. This is a different layer of technology from system-level ECC memory, which uses additional check-bit data width and requires both an ECC-capable memory module configuration and platform support.

Why do networking or industrial control systems often require ECC memory?

ECC memory can detect and correct single-bit errors during data transfer. For networking and industrial control systems that require long uninterrupted operation and high data accuracy, ECC can correct these errors before they reach the system.

What is Bad Block Management?

Flash memory may develop storage cells that cannot reliably retain data (bad blocks) during manufacturing or use. Bad block management detects and marks these blocks, redirecting data to healthy storage areas to protect data integrity.

What is Garbage Collection in an SSD?

Garbage collection is a background process performed by the SSD controller to reclaim blocks marked as invalid data, freeing up usable space. It helps maintain write performance and stability over the drive's operating life.

If an SSD becomes too hot during operation, will it affect performance or cause damage?

Where supported by the specific controller and product design, an SSD may include a temperature sensor and dynamic thermal throttling. When an overheating condition is detected, the drive reduces its operating speed to stay within its rated thermal range. This is a protective behavior rather than a fault, and the applicable thermal behavior for a given model is stated in its product documentation.

Can an SSD still benefit from TRIM in an embedded environment without a standard operating system?

TRIM commands are typically issued by the operating system. In embedded systems without a standard OS, or where the firmware does not issue TRIM, the SSD’s own background garbage collection can still provide a degree of performance management, though typically not as effective as operating with TRIM support. Please check with your sales or technical contact to confirm actual support.

What is the difference between SSDs with a DRAM cache and DRAM-less SSDs, and how should I choose for an industrial application?

SSDs with a DRAM cache generally offer more stable performance for heavy random read/write workloads and address-mapping management. DRAM-less architectures rely on controller-managed mapping and may use Host Memory Buffer (HMB) where supported by the host and the product implementation, typically at lower cost and power consumption. The right choice depends on the application's read/write pattern and system resource constraints — please consult your sales or technical contact.

How does the gold-plating process on the contact edge (gold finger) affect reliability?

Connector plating thickness and process quality influence contact durability and corrosion resistance. The applicable plating specification and insertion-cycle requirements remain product- and connector-specific, and are stated in the applicable product documentation.

What are Corner Bond and Underfill reinforcement processes?

Corner Bond and Underfill are reinforcement processes that apply adhesive material at the corners or beneath BGA-packaged chips, strengthening the mechanical bond between the chip and the circuit board and reinforcing solder joints against vibration and thermal cycling.

What embedded applications are small form-factor industrial SSDs such as mSATA suitable for?

Small form-factor SSDs such as mSATA are suited for embedded motherboards with limited space, such as industrial PCs, networking equipment, or compact terminal devices. Beyond capacity and speed, it is also advisable to confirm the motherboard’s mounting layout and firmware compatibility.

How should I select an industrial SSD for NVR (video surveillance) storage applications?

Video surveillance storage involves continuous, long-duration writes. Selection criteria to evaluate include write endurance (TBW), power-loss protection and stability under high-temperature or high-load conditions; whether a specific model provides these characteristics is stated in its product documentation. Please consult SIMORCHIP sales for a recommended model based on the number of video channels and retention period required.

Does SIMORCHIP provide MTBF or other reliability data for its industrial products?

For certain industrial products, MTBF or other reliability reference data may be provided depending on the application conditions. Actual figures vary by model, test conditions, and operating environment. Please refer to the official product datasheet or contact SIMORCHIP sales, rather than converting the figure directly into a guaranteed service life.

Do any SIMORCHIP products use components qualified to AEC-Q100, and do industrial applications require it?

AEC-Q100 is a stress-test qualification for automotive integrated circuits. It applies to components, not to a complete module or SSD. Most industrial applications do not require it; it is typically requested for in-vehicle or specific high-reliability use. Please contact SIMORCHIP sales to confirm whether any SIMORCHIP model uses AEC-Q100-qualified components.

Customization & Ordering

Does SIMORCHIP offer OEM customization services, such as custom logo printing or project-specific specifications?

Project-based OEM customization services include custom logo printing and product configurations tailored to application requirements. The available customization options and lead time depend on project scale and product category. Please confirm with SIMORCHIP sales.

Beyond logo customization, is firmware-level customization (such as adjusting operating behavior) available?

Depending on project scale and requirements, firmware-level customization — such as enabling specific features or adjusting operating parameters — may be evaluated for certain products. Feasibility, development timeline, and minimum order quantity are assessed jointly by the technical and sales teams.

Does SIMORCHIP offer white-label or ODM services without the SIMORCHIP brand?

Whether white-label or ODM services are available depends on project scale, volume, and the proposed cooperation model. Please discuss feasibility with SIMORCHIP sales.

How can I request product samples for evaluation?

Sample requests can be submitted through the website contact form or SIMORCHIP sales. Please include your application scenario, required specifications, and testing timeline, and the sales team will help arrange sample availability and follow-up validation. Request Samples →

Is a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) required to obtain more detailed technical information?

Technical information involving unpublished specifications, customization details, or pre-production models may require a signed NDA before it can be provided. Please confirm the specific requirements with SIMORCHIP sales.

Compliance & Security

Do SIMORCHIP products comply with environmental regulations such as RoHS and REACH?

Product-level RoHS, REACH or other compliance information is provided where applicable in the corresponding product documentation. Availability of supporting documentation is confirmed per model with SIMORCHIP sales.

Does SIMORCHIP hold quality or environmental management system certifications such as ISO 9001?

Management system certifications concern organizational processes and differ from product-level regulatory compliance, such as RoHS and REACH. Please contact SIMORCHIP sales to confirm the current certification status.

Do SIMORCHIP industrial SSDs support data encryption or security standards such as AES encryption and TCG Opal?

Encryption and secure erase are different capabilities. Support for each is confirmed per model in that model’s documentation; if your application requires either, please contact SIMORCHIP sales.

What is Hardware Purge, and why do industrial applications need this feature?

Hardware purge refers to a controller-supported data-sanitization mechanism intended to render stored user data inaccessible according to the supported implementation. Availability and behavior must be confirmed in the specific product documentation. It is commonly requested in applications involving confidential information or regulatory requirements for verified data destruction.

How can I verify that a purchased product is a genuine SIMORCHIP product and avoid counterfeits?

Purchase through an approved sales channel or contact SIMORCHIP to verify a seller or product identification, and keep proof of purchase. If you have concerns about product authenticity, please provide product photos, the model and serial number, and SIMORCHIP sales can help verify them.

What information can the product serial number or lot code be used to look up? Is batch traceability supported?

The serial number or lot code is used for product identification during after-sales handling, such as warranty checks or RMA requests. The lookup method and the scope of information available are confirmed with SIMORCHIP sales.

Support & Documentation

How can I contact SIMORCHIP’s technical support team?

Technical questions can be submitted through the website contact form or SIMORCHIP sales. Please include the product model, application scenario, and a description of the issue to help the technical team assist you efficiently. Contact →

Where can I obtain datasheets or technical documentation for SIMORCHIP industrial products?

Datasheets and technical documentation are issued per product on request. Contact SIMORCHIP sales or use the website contact form with the product model and required documentation. Contact →