How a .07-second Power Cut Killed Memory Chips

[shrapnel_indie]

Yup,

Designed or not... They'll take full advantage of the losses as an excuse to raise prices.

If it was an upgraded plant with a backup system that became underrated in the process, I'd have to blame top decision making execs, MBAs and/or Engineers for failing to upgrade the backup/conditioning systems as well.

As far as losses, that will depend on exactly how far they were in the process before failure. At step one, loss is minimal, as it's only what was in the process of being laid down at the time of failure that is ruined. (Well that goes for all steps actually, and to be honest I don't know how many get laid down at the exact same time) Greater losses will be felt further down the processing line as the step count closes in on the final step. The ventilation failure is the same way, the further down the line you get, the greater the loss if contaminated. I'll assume they'll declare everything contaminated, even if it isn't. It's just easier to do that then check each stage for contamination and level of failure do to the power loss.

 

[maigo]

Looks like SOMEONE forgot to upgrade the battery backup!

 

[iLLz]

That's a nice excuse to prevent SSD prices from keep dropping. It's just silly to accept they don't have UPS.

I believe I read somewhere else that they did have backup power but that it failed in this instance. Go figure! Still you would think this type of shit would be worked out by now given this is what they do, no?

 

[kkiddu]

0.07 ? That's got James Bond written all over it. Maybe the Queen has decided to sell SSDs to cover her palace costs.

 

[rohitbaran]

[citation][nom]ibemerson[/nom]There's no way this story is true. If you unplug a blower for .07 seconds, simple inertia will keep it going. And as for everything else, every power supply in the world has capacitors that will discharge and supply voltage during such blips. If their equipment can't handle such short blips they should pack it up.I say it's either stuxnet 2.0 or a conspiracy to fix prices.[/citation]
Well, this comment is based on common sense, but common sense is usually not correct.

 

[Milleman]

I think they just wanted to raise the market price för memory chips slightly!

 

[peu123]

Slightly? 20% of production isn't a slight thing by any means! lol

 

[Horhe]

You think that the backup power supply will kick in instantly? 70 milliseconds is too short of a period for their backup power supply to start.

 

[kikireeki]

Very nice. now the SSD makers have a very good excuse to overprice their products!

 

[sudeshc]

Another reason for price hike.....huh

 

[tommysch]

[citation][nom]JerseyFirefighter[/nom]It's amazing how close we are to Mike Judge's "idiocracy" Dude reads the headline, and looks at the photo and decides to comment on the article based on assumption. We REALLY need to start thinning the herd.[/citation]

Ive been saying this for the last decade...

 

[icemunk]

sounds like an excellent excuse to drive up prices

 

[mchawk]

Sub designed ups for their facilities?

Thats why I don't buy from Toshiba... directly, at least...

 

[joebob2000]

[citation][nom]kelemvor4[/nom]Seriously? Why would they not have batteries for temporary power and large generators for longer outages? At my office, the whole datacenter is protected and can run off grid for 14 days before refueling is required. Some executive at Toshiba should have been walked straight out the door for screwing that one up.Or, maybe it just really is amateur hour over at Toshiba?[/citation]

You think Toshiba got to be one of the biggest silicon manufacturers without knowing what the **** battery back up is? Get real. There was an unexpected malfunction in what was probably at least two backup systems. However, in true Japanese style they are keeping it as secret as possible so as to not spread the shame of failure.

 

[millerm84]

I would assume that it was the USP system that failed and not the grid. If that was the case every computer controlled device in the factory could have been reset. Now as far as inertia and other physics principles I have no idea, but it makes more sense for the UPS to have failed.

 

[cookoy]

better read the Wall Street Journal link to get the details

 

[dark_lord69]

"to the benefit of the entire industry"
It's too bad that the industry and the customers can't benefit mutually. Instead this will have a negative effect if you ask customers.

 

[ntrceptr]

I dont doubt that it may have ruined everything currently on the production line, but when they says it ruins something that may take 8 to 12 weeks to complete. That doesn't necessarily mean it will put them that far behind. I mean they have more silicon stocked up waiting to hit the production line. They should only get behind by the amount of time it takes to cleanup the ruined product and get the production line spitting out new chips again. Sure they'll have a loss they'll have to make-up too but production will continue quickly.

I agree though, this gives them chiops makers reason to keep prices from coming down. Especially if it gets alot of media attention.

 

[ChromeTusk]

i used a silencer. wait *** i cant reply to you im dead..

corpse run and rez

Manufacturing plant or home PC a few second power cut could affect your work.

i.e. All work restored to last save point prior to unexpected shut down.

 

[ntrceptr]

Why is it i dont notice typo's til after i click submit...never fails.

 

[mrmotion]

How many of you work on 480v circuits? After a power blip that takes down a machine, how many of you start it right back up? How much time is involved in start up? In the machine shop world a power blip reguardless of how short can be nearly catastrophic for the parts that are in the machines.

 

[flowingbass]

Try flipping your PSU's switch on-off-on for .07 seconds while your desktop is powered on. That will surely trip something in it or blow it up. Sort of the same happened to Toshiba.

 

[edilee]

This sounds like a ploy to justify price increases. With a manafacturing process like what is needed to make these chips trust me they will have all bases covered for power blips...this is almost the same as a hospital not having a back up system in place for power blips.

 

[iamtheking123]

[citation][nom]flowingbass[/nom]Try flipping your PSU's switch on-off-on for .07 seconds while your desktop is powered on. That will surely trip something in it or blow it up. Sort of the same happened to Toshiba.[/citation]
You can't make comparisons between a shitbox $1000 desktop and a billion dollar fab plant. If Toshiba had the proper protections in place, their backup systems would kick in within 5 milliseconds (see ABB literature), and be able to handle the entire line load for any size voltage drop.

 

[mattclary]

Ahhhhhh... this reminds me of the infamous "plant fire" from the 90s, but this is much more ingenious.