Corsair Factory Tour in Fremont, CA, USA

Introduction

We visited Corsair memory factory located in Fremont, California, where they manufacture their high-end memory (XMS series) and server modules. Corsair also has a factory in Taiwan, where their entry-level modules (Value series) are manufactured.

Note: Corsair moved to a new building and their upgrade their factory; we’ve posted an article on Corsair’s new factory.

It is very interesting to note that this is the first component factory we visited in the USA (actually after this one we visited some other manufacturing facilities in the USA from other memory vendors, like PDP Systems, also in the Valley, and Kingston, in LA area). Usually manufacturing facilities for the PC hardware industry are located in Taiwan or China. The idea behind setting up a factory in the USA is to provide a faster response time. For example, if they get a big request from a server memory costumer, they can deliver the requested modules in two or three days – they can simply manufacture and deliver them in this timeframe.

In this factory Corsair also tests the manufacturing process for new products.

Corsair does not manufacture memory chips. They buy memory chips from other companies like Samsung and Micron and assemble their own modules.

The manufacturing process is relatively simple: memory chips are positioned and soldered on modules, which come in panels containing six modules; after this there is a visual inspection test in order to see if the solder was well done; then the modules are separated; the SPD circuit is programmed; the modules are fully tested; and finally the modules are packed.

Figure 1: Panels containing six modules each.

Figure 2: Visual inspection test to check if the integrated circuits were correctly soldered.

Figure 3: Panel with memory chips soldered.