Production programming of memories and microcontrollers is managed by different rules than engineering programming. In production efficiency is the most important. So main criteria while selecting programming method and equipment are:

• Programming time of the single device
• Number of programming sites working concurrently

Versatility and maximum coverage of available on the market components are still important but have secondary significance. They have influence on the future expansion.

So in production we have a choice between three methods of programming:

• Programming out of target system in multi-site manual programmer
• Programming out of target system in multi-site automated programmer
• Programming in target system with multi-channel ISP programmer, often integrated with structural or functional automated testing

Up to medium range production, programming can be realized even on manual single-site/single-channel programmers. But to understand the scale of the problem in industrial programming let’s look at the table below where is comparission of production scale, programming time (as cycle EPV - Erase, Program, Verify) and required number of day shifts for typical modern memories.

Device			Production
#	Type (capacity)	Time EPV (s)	Quantity	Required day shifts (8h)
				1-site Programmer	4-site Programmer	16-site Programmer
Micron JS28F00AM29EWH	NOR Flash (128MB)	935,2	10 000	324,72	81,18	20,30
			100 000	3 247,22	811,81	202,95
			1 000 000	32 472,22	8 118,06	2 029,51
Micron MT29F1G08ABAEAWP	NAND Flash (128MB)	21,3	10 000	7,40	1,85	0,46
			100 000	74,02	18,50	4,63
			1 000 000	740,17	185,04	46,26
Sandisk SDIN8DE2-8G	eMMC (8GB)	274,0	10 000	95,14	23,78	5,95
			100 000	951,39	237,85	59,46
			1 000 000	9 513,89	2 378,47	594,62
Cypress S25FL164K	NOR Serial (8MB)	84,5	10 000	29,34	7,34	1,83
			100 000	293,40	73,35	18,34
			1 000 000	2 934,03	733,51	183,38
Microchip PIC32MX360F512L	MCU (512kB)	9,0	10 000	3,13	0,78	0,20
			100 000	31,25	7,81	1,95
			1 000 000	312,50	78,13	19,53

The problem increases with increase of production scale and for sure requires analyses. Although not long ago it seemed that ISP programming will eliminate traditional in-socket programmers, taking into consideration continuously growing memory capacities, more and more advanced projects requiring huge code and data, off-board programming of the devices before their assembly has returned to favor. In mass production it only has to be automated. ISP can slow down production process.

is specialized in industrial programming and is offering solutions for any level of production scale. As an authorized distributor of worldwide known brands - manufacturers of device programmers, has the full spectrum of solutions covering the whole range of applications. We invite you to visit web pages dedicated to the offer of our partners:

•  Manual single- and multi-site programmers

•  Automated programmers

•  Single- and multi-site ISP programmers

•  SD card and USB sticks copiers

WG Electronics is supporting customers on base of over 25 years of our own experience in developing, production and distribution of device programmers and on base of experience of our partners – lead manufacturers of programing equipment.

Please use our interactive programmer selector to choose a device programmer suitable for your needs.