The production of memory modules at Dane-Elec

The large step Dane-Elec is waiting for is DDR-II. There were samples present at the factory, but they were not yet able to make the modules because the Topaz machines - the ones that place the chips on the PCB�s - still have to be equipped with x-ray camera�s. DDR-II uses a µBGA packaging instead of normal FCPGA. This makes the chips smaller, but besides that, they also have attachment points in the middle of the chips, which make it impossible to see all of them with a normal camera. Later this year the machines will be adjusted accordingly and they will start running test productions. Probably DDR400 or DDR533. It is yet uncertain if they are going to produce the DDR-I version of DDR400, but if the market requires it, the software of the machines can easily be adjusted to manufacture them.

A DDR-II memory chip from Elpida

As we al know the memory chips market has gone through some rough times the past year, and despite the fact that there have been signs of improvement, the level from before the crisis is still very far away. Dane-Elec is - like a dozen other companies - still losing money. Still, that�s no reason to give up hope. Memory is a product that the world can�t live without and there will always be a demand for it. New ways of distributing (like supermarkets) and a new generation of products like organizers and digital cameras which hunger for storage, combined with the fact that there is a new 'upgrade phase' coming for a lot of companies, make Dane-Elec believe they can make money again this year instead of losing.

Everybody here already knew Dane-Elec as a sponsor For Tweakers.net or as a brand name on one of the many products sold at shop.tweakers.net, but by writing this review we hope to have given everybody a better image of the work Dane-Elec does, as a company, and also memory manufactures in general. Other companies use the same basic procedures, components and equipment. Unfortunately we were not allowed to reveal the small details that differs Dane-Elec from the rest, but we can be sure that every company has their own little secrets.


We would like to thank Dave Lalor for allowing us to tour his factory, our tour guide Ethan (is that spelled correctly? ) for all the information and paying our Chinese food, his uncle for driving us around early in the morning in his spare time, Rob Bruin for arranging the trip, and Jan Bolder for kicking Rob every day to get it done .

Furthermore BrZ, Gump, Reefer, Sarcast and all the others for the translation from Dutch to English.

Typical Irish (?) Small street with a lot of bars	This little souvenir had to be given back
Found an internet connection at Shannon Airport	It flew