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Kingston System Specific Memory

Quality

Why Buy Kingston Memory?

Since 1987, Kingston has been known for the highest quality memory products available. We recognize the important role memory plays in computing productivity and take the necessary steps to guarantee a reliable memory product.

All Kingston® memory modules must perform properly to ensure maximum performance. Therefore, Kingston has developed an industry leading quality process to ensure that Kingston memory delivers superior quality, performance, and 100% compatibility with the computing system the module is designed for.

Kingston Technology Company
Kingston Technology Company is a designer and manufacturer of memory modules and has grown to be the world's largest independent manufacturer of memory enhancement products. Founded in 1987 by John Tu and David Sun, Kingston has grown from being the manufacturer of a single in-line memory module into an international company with over 2,000 products that support over 20,000 systems and sales exceeding $4.5 billion in 2007.

Kingston attributes its success to placing extreme importance in reliability. Reliability is the cornerstone of our product strategy. It is this reliability that contributes to the high degree of trust between Kingston and its customers. Kingston is dedicated to exceeding the industry standard when it comes to detail, product quality, and product reliability.

Kingston Reliability and Experience
An important step to ensure memory reliability is to screen memory components thoroughly and guarantee only the highest quality components are used. Kingston is one of the few memory manufacturers that require qualification of the components and tests modules at all stages of production. Our process works so well that our mean time between failure rating exceeds 500 years!

Kingston has also developed one of the most stringent and trusted testing processes in the memory industry. Kingston makes continual investments in our world class manufacturing facilities we operate throughout the world. We also have expanded our business model by investing over 100 million dollars in a new supply chain innovation project called Payton. Kingston's Payton project offers back-end services of dicing the wafer, encasing the integrated circuits (DRAM) into protective packaging, testing and creating a just-in-time delivery system of finished modules to DRAM manufactures and system manufacturers. The single source of this process by Kingston will shorten the time and lower the cost it takes to supply finished goods into the marketplace. This extension of Kingston's manufacturing process of memory modules further exemplifies that Kingston is truly a leader in the DRAM industry.

International Organization for Standardization
ISO 9001
The ISO program is the international standard for overall quality business processes. ISO 9001 guides companies to create a foundation for conducting business procedures in a way meant to ensure companies conduct the highest caliber of workmanship possible. The framework comprises the entire span of delivering a product or service: purchasing raw materials or components, contract review, quality control product inspection, design, development, handling, delivery, employee training, and customer service and support. The purpose is to create a standard for overall quality business processes.

Kingston has developed a quality system that meets the requirements specified by ISO 9001 standards. We were certified in 1994 after our first audit. According to ISO assessors, only 30% of the companies trying for certification pass on the first attempt. Kingston has maintained its certification by continually passing audits performed every six months.

Industry Standards
Kingston is extremely careful to manufacture its products within specification. In fact, Kingston is a member of the JEDEC (Joint Electron Device Engineering Council) Solid State Technology Association, and also holds a Vice Chairman seat on the JEDEC board. JEDEC has been the foremost standards development organization for the semiconductor industry since 1958. Kingston is part of the 300 companies that work closely together developing standards to meet industry and user needs.

DRAM Suppliers
Kingston has developed long term relationships with the leading DRAM manufacturers. Our DRAM chips are purchased directly from these manufacturers, which include Samsung, Toshiba, Infineon, Hynix, Elpida, Renesas and others. The components are shipped directly from the manufacturer's facility to Kingston's facility minimizing handling and exposure to damage.

All DRAM chips delivered to Kingston are scrutinized to insure that only premium, qualified, and tested DRAM is accepted. As a leading DRAM customer Kingston receives excellent quality and availability of DRAM chips. This availability allows Kingston to offer a wide variety of memory modules from those for legacy systems to the latest systems.

Supplier Flow Chart

Kingston Quality
Kingston takes pride in its proactive role in verifying the quality and reliability of the components used in Kingston products. Kingston memory is designed and built with components that are purchased from qualified suppliers that meet Kingston's high quality standards. Kingston has been ISO 9001 certified since 1994. Kingston has not only obtained this high standard certification, but it has maintained and improved its process to adapt to the demanding memory industry. This diagram illustrates how Kingston manufactures and tests its products.

Quality Flow Chart

Design:
To guarantee 100% reliability and compatibility, Kingston modules are designed to meet the specific requirements of the system or class of systems the module will be installed in. We test the memory on the system motherboard and with the applications and operating systems most commonly used with the system. Since memory performance varies slightly between brands of DRAM, Kingston's design standards call for in-system qualification of every new module design.

Components:
Kingston's proactive Supplier Quality Program certifies and monitors DRAM chips, boards (PCBs), and passive components. Kingston has established strict control requirements that subject component lots received to testing for compliance. For example, the latest DDR technology memory chips are sample tested using Agilent® 83000 testers to verify DDR compliant timing characteristics. If the design of a DDR chip is altered in any way, it must go through the qualification process again.

Assembly:
All memory chips are sent directly from the DRAM manufacturer to Kingston assembly plants to minimize handling and reduce the chance of damage. Numerous steps are taken throughout the entire assembly process to eliminate the possibility of electro-static discharge, which is the leading cause of memory failure.

Test:
Kingston employs a multi-tiered testing system to ensure quality control throughout the manufacturing process. In addition to the rigorous tests performed on DRAM and other components, Kingston subjects all new module designs to signal-quality testing, software stress testing, thermal testing, and system- specific, long-term reliability testing. Kingston has also continued its long-standing practice of 100% production testing of all finished goods.

At Kingston, we believe that quality is based on the synergy of all four areas: Design, Components, Assembly and Testing (DCAT).

Kingston Compatibility
Many other memory module companies use a generic module for a variety of systems. Kingston takes design to a higher level and manufactures system specific memory. This means the design is customized to meet the memory requirements of the computer system the module is designed for. The design is fine-tuned to match the timing of the system, to reduce noise and heat, and allow for the most efficient communication between the memory and the CPU. Kingston also tests the module in the system using popular applications, operating systems and the original equipment manufacturer's diagnostic program.

Convenience
Buying Kingston is convenient. Kingston supports many major systems and offers many different types of memory technologies making Kingston an excellent single source for all your memory needs. We offer memory for servers, desktops, telecommunication and network devices, workstations, printers, even digital appliances and cameras. Our free technical support is available around the clock to help with memory questions you may have. All Kingston memory modules are backed by a lifetime warranty† (please visit the Kingston warranty statement page for detailed warranty information) and guaranteed 100% compatible.

Conclusion
Kingston's success in the memory industry is directly related to its quality, reliability, expertise, support, stability, and business practices.

Why choose Kingston?
  • Superior Quality: Kingston qualifies all components and tests all modules in all stages of production.
  • Guaranteed Compatibility: Kingston customizes its memory and guarantees 100% compatibility.
  • Convenience: Kingston can provide a complete range of memory solutions at competitive prices for thousands of systems.
  • Stability: Established in 1987, Kingston has grown to be the largest independent memory module manufacturer in the industry.
  • Reliability: Kingston is the #1 independent memory module manufacturer in the world. We will continue to dedicate all our efforts and resources to be the leader in the memory market.
  • Expertise: Kingston is involved in the DRAM process from the dicing of the wafer to encasing the integrated circuits to assembling the module to testing the finished product.
  • Warranty: Kingston offers lifetime warranty† on all memory modules, boards, and flash cards.
† 10 year warranty in France, Germany and Austria
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