Wie entsteht eine SSD in Deutschland? PCGH bei Swissbit 🧐

Summary

PC Games Hardware visits Swissbit’s Berlin facility to follow the production and testing of industrial storage products, including SSDs, SD cards, and memory components. The video is a factory tour, not a product review or how-to guide.

Production and inspection

• Traceability and SMT assembly: Each bare circuit board has a Data Matrix code that identifies its job and tracks it through production. Solder paste is printed onto contact pads and checked before components are placed. An SMT machine can place up to 30,000 components per hour; the boards then pass through a reflow oven.
• Inspection and panel processing: Automated optical inspection checks whether components are present, correctly positioned, and soldered. Some alerts are false positives, so operators watch for patterns that could indicate a process change. Multiple SSD boards are produced together on a panel, then milled apart. Identification is retained so faulty units can be rejected.
• Component sourcing and reinforcement: The guide says Swissbit now sources wafers from Kioxia, where wafer development is handled, while microcontroller design takes place in Germany. For demanding applications, epoxy underfill is applied beneath certain chip packages to help protect their connections from stress caused by different rates of expansion during temperature changes.
• Dense memory packages: Silicon wafers are ground down to as little as 40 micrometres so thin memory dies can be stacked. One SD-card example contains eight flash dies arranged in steps and connected with fine gold wire bonds. The assembly is then encapsulated in epoxy molding compound to protect the chips and wires.
• Testing and separation: X-ray and ultrasonic inspection look for hidden problems, including displaced or damaged wire bonds and voids beneath chips. Lasers mark components and make partial cuts to help limit warping; saws then separate them. Further checks examine dimensions and surfaces, as well as the solder balls on BGA components.

Electrical and environmental testing

Components can be loaded into test sockets, programmed with firmware, and tested on custom systems. Burn-in boards and climate chambers expose products to hot and cold conditions. The guide says SSD assemblies are tested through hot-and-cold cycles, and products that fail are rejected.

Final inspection and packaging

Camera systems inspect the tops and undersides of components, including markings, scratches, and BGA balls. Depending on customer needs, parts can be supplied in JEDEC trays or packed in tape-and-reel for automated assembly.

Separate advertisement

The subtitles also include a brief Krotus Computer advertisement about custom PC configuration, personal advice, quality, cooling, and noise levels. It is separate from the Swissbit factory tour.

Main speakers and sources

• PC Games Hardware presenter/narration: Introduces and guides the tour.
• Swissbit factory guide/staff: Explains manufacturing steps, equipment, sourcing, and testing.
• Krotus Computer promotional voice: Appears in a separate advertisement.