Quality & Reliability

ValueRAM. Setting a New Standard of Price/Performance

From component qualification through quality assurance monitoring, Kingston's ValueRAM solutions inherit Kingston's widely recognized expertise in building high quality memory modules.

Component Qualification

Kingston strictly qualifies all of its component suppliers, including its DRAM, PCB, resistor, capacitors, and other suppliers. In compliance with ISO 9001, Kingston continuously monitors component quality and periodically qualifies its suppliers. In key areas, Kingston performs regular factory audits on-site at its suppliers' factories worldwide.

Design and Engineering Validation Tests

Kingston memory products are subjected to rigorous testing processes to insure their reliability, integrity and compatibility. Each new module design is subjected to a series of reviews and tests that can include:

Specification Verification - Kingston engineers verify that a module design meets the engineering specifications issued by OEMs or industry groups such as JEDEC. Testing is performed on Kingston's multi-million dollar testers that feature proprietary software that measures and characterizes a module's performance.

Signal Quality and Integrity Test - Kingston's Memory Technology Lab utilizes motherboards and high-speed oscilloscopes to examine the electrical signals going into and out of memory modules. Timing and waveform analysis reveals a module's signal quality and integrity characteristics, which are used to predict the quality of the module's design and components.

Reliability Tests - A series of calibrated hot and cold cycles for up to 1,000 cycles, and a temperature and humidity stress test for up to 1,000 hours. In addition, Guardband Testing cycles modules through a series of voltage and temperature cycles.

Manufacturing and Quality Assurance

Kingston has set up a world class manufacturing infrastructure with ISO 9002 certified processes in the United States, China, Europe and Taiwan. Kingston's manufacturing lines utilize state-of- the-art surface mount (SMT) equipment from Fuji and Panasonic. All manufacturing processes integrate quality assurance monitoring and statistical process controls to ensure high manufacturing yields. Kingston sample tests each lot manufactured in order to ensure process consistency and high quality throughout. Each customer shipment is also verified using computerized stations to minimize shipping errors and ensure satisfied customers.

Production Testing

Kingston has invested over $20 million into the most sophisticated and effective memory testing platforms for memory module production. The equipment investment spans Kingston's manufacturing facilities in the United States, Ireland and Taiwan.

Kingston has a consistent practice of 100% production testing of all finished goods since its inception in 1987. This means testing every cell on every chip on every module. On a 128MB module that is 1,024 million cells. Using proprietary pattern testing software, Kingston's testing process stands unequalled in the memory module industry.