How RAM is Made: Automated Binning, Manufacturing, & Burn-in Testing | Factory Tours S3E2

Sponsor: DeepCool AK620 Digital on Amazon geni.us/Nwc7
This video shows how computer RAM is made. In this episode, you'll get to watch how it's made at the V-Color factory as part of our factory tour series. Processes shown include automated frequency binning, voltage and timings binning, assembly and manufacturing of RAM sticks with Surface-Mount Technology Lines, and burn-in testing. We also briefly talk about some hand-tuned overclock testing for high-end SKUs. This factory makes DDR4 and DDR5 RAM and manufactures anything from lower-frequency DIMMs to 8000+ sticks with the OC lab.
Watch our entire factory tour playlist here! • HUGE Computer Server F...
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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - How Computer RAM is Made
01:11 - Ad Spot
01:37 - Automated Binning of Memory
06:39 - Assembling RAM Sticks: SMT Lines
11:42 - Burn-In Testing
13:31 - Overclocking Testing
Last song:
"Chill Wave" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
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Links to Amazon and Newegg are typically monetized on our channel (affiliate links) and may return a commission of sales to us from the retailer. This is unrelated to the product manufacturer. Any advertisements or sponsorships are disclosed within the video ("this video is brought to you by") and above the fold in the description. We do not ever produce paid content or "sponsored content" (meaning that the content is our idea and is not funded externally aside from whatever ad placement is in the beginning) and we do not ever charge manufacturers for coverage.
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Host, Writing: Steve Burke
Video: Vitalii Makhnovets, Mike Gaglione

[@GamersNexus]

These have been really cool to visit and learn from! We've seen SMT lines before, but none of the companies we visited was willing to show us their automatic binning machines -- until now (finally). We've had a lot more success this past year in getting access to cool technologies and can't wait to do another. We'll have another one for you next weekend! Watch our entire factory tour playlist here! kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZeuqGyJip6Chc0 Grab a brand new GN15 Mouse Mat to help support our work and get a quality mouse mat in return: store.gamersnexus.net/products/15-yr-mouse-mat Or consider one of our metal emblem drink glasses! store.gamersnexus.net/products/gn-3d-emblem-glasses

[@dhgodzilla1]

Thanks Steve

[@MrLoverThe]

Thanks for the great work guys, these are really interesting!

[@hquest]

I want to know where I can buy the V-Color GamersNexus memory sticks.

[@angletech852]

These video are incredibly interesting. Thank you for making them!

[@mradminus]

What a great video, thanks!

[@lindsay1971]

I know you've said in the past that these videos don't get the clicks, but they are absolutely the most valuable, thank you for this.

[@GamersNexus]

Thank you for that. Yeah, they don't get as many views. But that's OK. They're fun to make and we think they're important educational material!

[@lilblackduc7312]

@@GamersNexus ..I may miss some videos. But, if I notice one of these 'How it's Made' shows, I make sure to watch it...Thank you. 🇺🇸 👍☕

[@wizewizard1840]

@@GamersNexus These are absolutely top notch content. I'm always eagerly waiting for new ones. Thank you for your efforts Stephen & crew!

[@Tannhauser42]

I think the best thing about videos like this is that they're fairly timeless and can still draw new people to the channel. Very few people will be looking up a CPU review just two years after it came out, but people will still be seeing "How It's Made" videos like this five years on.

[@FrozenHaxor]

@@GamersNexus Those video series have extremely high value, other KZbinrs chose the lazy ways and stick to "stock footage" and simple narration. You actually go the ultra extra mile and visit the factory to get the actual facts and the actual footage. Props to you for that!

[@robwhitmore3040]

"We learned the secrets of RAM manufacturing that no one else knew." (Note: between recording and posting this video, Samsung employees have sold those secrets to the competition.)

[@GamersNexus]

hahaha, that is true!

[@robwhitmore3040]

@@GamersNexus Baller video. Hoping for a similar level of deep dive into UserBenchmark in 2024. There are some real mysteries going on there.

[@POVwithRC]

💀

[@ChrispyNut]

Oh snap, that joke is on point. Amusing and informative, top props 👏

[@PXAbstraction]

Oh SNAP! 🤣

[@norkshit]

this video feels like it could be a modern version of How It’s Made. great work!

[@RobertD_83]

Loved that show, and obviously this series!

[@cklotter]

Exactly what I thought!

[@RobertD_83]

@RepentandbelieveinJesusChrist5 reported for misinformation

[@frizzlefry1921]

Like 'how it's made' but without all the errors!

[@shaneeslick]

G'day Steve, BIG THANKS to V-Color for not only allowing you access to sensetive areas but also allowing you to be a pain in the arse interupting production while you were there. WOW! I love these "How it's made" videos as they are so interesting & educational, plus your commentary makes them fun. Like always AWESOME job by Vitali & Mike with the cameras.

[@MarekKnapek]

That Eastern time slash GMT-5 was cherry on top. As an European, I never know how much off "Eastern" really is. UTC or GMT offset makes so much more sense.

[@mytech6779]

UTC-5 is GMT-17 (Everyone that uses "GMT" in the *century* since GMT was ddiscontinued doesn't know what it is and uses it wrong. GCT would be more equivalent to UTC, but even that has been discontinued for a half century.)

[@shaneeslick]

Yeah it really helps down here in Australia too

[@richard7423]

@@mytech6779 What on earth are you talking about? GMT and UTC are for all intents and purposes the same. In the UK, GMT is still our legal timezone during winter, it absolutely hasn't been discontinued.

[@mytech6779]

​@@richard7423 Your local "Greenwich time" is just a common time zone and any use of "GMT" in your local law is a legal artifact of scientifically-ignorant local commitees. "Greenwich Mean Time" as a time coordinate was primarilly used for atsronomy and changed dates [23:59:59->00:00:00] at Greenwich observatory solar noon to reduce the confusion of dates on nightly observations. GMT was thus 12 hours ahead of "Greenwich Civil Time" and 12 hours behind Royal navy time(also antiquated). GCT was a time coordinate not a time zone but roughly equivelent to the common local timezone. GMT ceased being used or tracked and maintaned in the scientific community around 100 years ago. GCT was formally replaced by UTC at 00:00:00 UT1 (international atomic-clock time on eath's surface) January 1 1970. The old GCT definition has not been tracked by any official timekeeping since 1970. UTC is used for the same purposes that GCT was used, but they have different formal definitions and methods of scientific tracking. UTC is now 37 seconds behind UT1. Although they use the same basic atomicclock second as a unit, the rotation of the earth has slowed and UTC is aligned with the solar day. (Similar ~18s drift has occured with GPSS satellite time since the 1980s but with slightly different mechanisms)

[@abdou.the.heretic]

​@@mytech6779black american woman, you ckecked all the boxes for the originator of most stupid take ever.

[@Wampa842]

I used to work on an SMT line. It's so weird to see one work without constant interruptions, downtimes, alarm bells, dropped panels...

[@GamersNexus]

Cool! What were you making?

[@Merk555]

I used to have to babysit 2 different SMT lines along with 14 other auto lines. We were making circuit boards that went into brake modules for different vehicles. Our SMT lines went down a lot for various issues...they weren't the most modern or high end machines though. I always loved watching the pick and place just flying through the resistors, caps, etc. Started as an engineer in the summer in a year where we had multiple power outages (fun)...our SMT lines had only 15 minutes of backup power and then all Hell broke loose. Newbie at work with numerous lengthy power outages equals tons of fun!

[@wizewizard1840]

@@Merk555 Wait, you aren't OP.

[@Wampa842]

@@GamersNexus Everything from EV battery controllers to custom wireless modules, but mostly closed-circuit measurement and control SBCs. We dealt with a ton of BGA-packaged DRAM and CPU modules. Unfortunately we didn't have AOI machines after solder printing, only basic 2D coverage checks, so visual and x-ray inspection was necessary with most products. The machines were old and worn-out, downtimes due to mechanical failures and panel drops were a regular occurence. One machine even used 3.5" floppy disks to load the tooling programs (it ran OS/2 and only had a coaxial thin ethernet connection). Obviously we couldn't leave the lines unattended even for a few minutes. The challenges were certainly interesting, but the end-of-quarter crunch got really stupid sometimes.

[@UncleKennysPlace]

I worked at Cincinnati Microwave nearly three decades ago; we made _Escort_ radar detectors, and did large job work for others, right in Cincinnati USA. I was a coder, but I loved to watch the line in operation.

[@vcolor_official]

Amazing video!! It was awesome having you guys here and we were really amazed by how hard you guys worked on filming this. Thank you to Steve and all the amazing Gamers Nexus Team 🙌 You guys are awesome

[@GamersNexus]

Thank you for your extreme patience and allowing us to film!

[@thref2004]

allowing this type of video done on your facilities really inspires consumer confidence - thanks

[@Lazien24]

I have a big THANK YOU for letting Steve and crew video. I just love these types of videos, and cool companies like yours make it all happen...much appreciated.

[@MacGuyver85]

Thank you!

[@bolt8148]

This was a fascinating insight, thank you for letting them in to your facility and filming it for us!

[@depression_daily]

So stoked for this series. I know it'll be amazing. EDIT: It's the "How It's Made" I never knew I needed.

[@eugenijusdolgovas9278]

It will be amazing? It's already amazing and this is not the first video of it's kind.

[@depression_daily]

I wrote this comment after watching the intro @@eugenijusdolgovas9278

[@StephenMcGregor1986]

I would buy on BluRay

[@supra107]

Gotta love seeing those offline industrial computers running Windows XP for the machine control software.

[@mytech6779]

If it works don't break it.

[@arthurmoore9488]

@@mytech6779 Stuxnet shows "offline" doesn't mean virus proof.

[@Konraden]

​@@mytech6779Hospitals right now would strongly disagree with you. So many of those integrated systems are network capable and network connected.

[@kyleshiwbhajan9490]

True most specialized machines run older Os versions depending on the field of work

[@maj429]

And windows 7

[@nikkolaus]

I use to work at a Micron fabrication facility that manufactured the silicon RAM wafers. That shit is so awesome! I loved it. I was one of the few on our small team (of what team i cannot say) who bothered to talk to the technicians and fully grasp the entire line's roles and processes.

[@Auziuwu]

Why make ram when you can simply download it? edit: Super excited for these videos, been waiting for it all week :D

[@GamersNexus]

Good point. We'll visit the RAM downloading factory next! (is that just a server?)

[@shiftctrlhack]

@@GamersNexus😂😂😂😅😊

[@chairchairyes2524]

⁠@@GamersNexusway cooler than that!

[@fracturedlife1393]

I downloaded this video and now I have less RAM and less Storage. Unsubbed.

[@bligh1156]

Well, if it wasn't for this factory making RAM, it wouldn't be available for download. They make it, then upload it. You must have missed the end of the video.

[@WildkatPhoto]

the fact that they come out in batches of 5 messes with me. Some poor memory stick is destine to always be separated from his friends.

[@GamersNexus]

Aw, it's sad when you phrase it like that!

[@derekisthematrix]

Ha! I also wondered at the odd number.

[@blahorgaslisk7763]

Just imagine when they make ECC memory!

[@mattsonn]

I’m a machinist at a company that also populates its own pcbs and even though I have plenty of cool cnc machines to run all day, the smt line is consistently amazing to watch.

[@fw1968]

Thank you for all of the behind the curtain looks! It's interesting to see how the things that we enjoy get made!

[@GamersNexus]

Absolutely! Thank you for checking them out!

[@jakewilkerson]

Thanks for this series! Really enjoyed the video on classroom computers for P. Stone as well. Made me want to do the same thing for my small children.

[@GamersNexus]

That's awesome that it inspired you to help others!

[@danielleavitt5411]

How it's Made: GN Edition I love these videos! Keep it up.

[@Jdmorris143]

This might be my most favorite factory tour so far! Great job GN Team!

[@disafear3674]

I love seeing videos of these smaller manufacturers that not many people would know about

[@POVwithRC]

It's a small editing thing but I appreciate the mostly robust ducking of background music while presenting.

[@spg3331]

Amazing series! good work everyone at GN

[@CD-ez9wc]

Nice to see other SMT lines at work. At my workplace we have 2 SMT lines, I'm in charge to mount reels on feeders for the SMT tables, checking for any errors on the setup and sometimes supervising the lines. It's real fun when you receive parts in tubes instead of reels... Placing them by hand is a real pleasure x)

[@jasonfullerton7763]

I worked at a company where we banned tubes, except for initial build prototypes. The downtime, defects, and inventory shrinkage (dropped parts, bent leads) had become too costly compared to the carrying costs of the higher capacity reels. It was fun trying to find someone with a 56 mm feeder to sell for our machine, but better than dealing with the homemade fork in the vibe feeder.

[@tootall849]

Really enjoying this series! Amazing you’re able to get access to these facilities

[@David-mm5vl]

With how efficient this process is it's no wonder memory is a cheap as it is right now. Awesome vid thanks guys.

[@DizzyAndHigh]

So efficient that they are now having to cut back production to jack up the prices.

[@sabishiihito]

​@DizzyAndHigh V-Color, G.Skill, etc don't have any control over that. Blame Samsung, Micron and SK Hynix.

[@brennomate806]

I’ve always liked this series, so cool to see how much time and effort goes into the components and videos. Edit: grammar.

[@RonnieDeuce87]

Super cool. That's awesome that they actually opened up the machines to let us look inside. Can't wait for next weekend's video!

[@Hybrid2436]

Just ordered the autographed tear down toolkit and the glass! "Thanks, Steve."

[@GamersNexus]

Thank you!

[@TheBoltcranck]

Gary is the real OverClocker!

[@D-One]

I love this type of videos. Reminds me of those old "How it's Made" TV Shows, thanks so much for this type of content.

[@unsivilaudio]

TIL v-color has a legit operation...very cool to see the insides of ram manufacturing.

[@sacah2]

I'm in Australia and had never heard of V-Color, but this tour gave me confidence in their product should I come across them in the future.

[@nathanaelniklaus2981]

Yes! Now, i definitively have to get a new mouse mat, coaster and soldering mat. Well done

[@rodneyrogers1319]

Thanks Steve!(and team ofc) It's crazy how ya'll grown! I came around the 960 2g vs 4g content and seeing what ya'll are doing now is great. 'Preciate the always quality content!

[@GamersNexus]

Wow! That's awesome to see someone in the comments who's been around since nearly the beginning. Thank you!

[@rodneyrogers1319]

@@GamersNexus thanks Steve 🥲🥰

[@PatricksDIY]

That was so freaking cool!!! I'm jealous! Its really cool to see the manufacturing process , with super informative guidance! Thanks Steve!

[@duckswan9936]

Thank you for this. I've learned so much since discovering this channel. I truly appreciate the no-nonsense, direct, transparent honest approach you offer. The testing procedures, thorough, explanations, caveat mentions, error corrections...Much respect to your process, and then sharing the data! You are raising the standard. Thank you for your efforts.

[@echo_prophet]

Yes! Love the format! More coming soon?!?

[@GamersNexus]

Absolutely! Another one next week! We have a few options - not sure which one to run yet!

[@adomingues00]

Thank you for real for this amazing tech journalism you do. It's realy important for a lot of people to be able to see how things are realy made at the source, and there is less and less places we can actualy see it. it's very important that some real journalism is still being made for the tech scene. You do a great value for the community and you should be proud of it. Thank you again.

[@Dan-Simms]

Your factory tours are rhe best in the biz, thanks for sharing this with all of us!

[@Even-Steven]

I love this series. V-Color's operation is smooth and efficient AF, and kudos to them for having the confidence to show it off. Really cool stuff!

[@jellorelic]

Thanks for this Steve & the GN crew! Love behind-the-scenes look at all the various industries that drive my hobbies and nobody else presents this like you do!

[@petervisi5369]

It's great to see such content. I was always fascinated by manufacturing technology and technics. Thank you GN team.

[@fredocuomo5386]

before you guys started doing these types of videos, i never knew I'd want to see them. now that you do them, i hope you never stop. its been amazing watching this channel evolve from just a website over the last 15 years. cheers to 2023. heres to 2024 and a big thank you to the whole team for all the hard work you do making this awesome content.

[@rainyrose911]

This is so awesome to watch how everything comes together. An Organism to create highend gaming components. Much Love to the GN Team that works tirelessly to create outstanding content like none else❤

[@jeffb1311]

You guys have come a long way from working out of a bedroom at the house. Thanks GN team

[@tulsatrash]

I love how space-efficient these operations are.

[@grasstreefarmer]

God I love this series and this was my favourite so far. There were so many fascinating details I kept rewinding and watching it again. As someone who loves building machines like 3d printers and CNC routers the custom machines they have employed are amazing.

[@DarkLordValmar]

Keep the factory tours coming, this is so awesome!

[@HaroonAshraf]

Amazing series, good stuff GN!

[@BeardedFrog]

I love these. For the most part, these types of videos are my favourite thing GN puts out. My only complaint, is that I wish they were longer.

[@billyeveryteen7328]

I mentioned this last week, but the post-production is absolutely top notch. Did GN hire a composer for the music, or was it all royalty-free music? Because if it's royalty-free music, I have no earthly idea how your editor is able to sync the b-roll of the machines to the beat of the song, so I can only imagine that he would have to be some kind of wizard or warlock.

[@GamersNexus]

We bought most the music on Premium Beat! Not composed specifically for us and not quite royalty free, but just a lot of searching! Thank you for the kind words!

[@metal_brrr_2005]

Maybe the editor can search songs by beats per minute?

[@TRD_Mike]

The soundtrack to this video is absolute 🔥 Sounds a lot like one of my favorite artists, GRiZ. Just a dude from Chicago who plays the Sax over electronic music.

[@TruthJusticeVictory]

Thanks Steve and team for doing these, it's so awesome to see!

[@Absolutely_Allen]

Thank you Steve and team for all your hard work producing these videos!

[@zeldafan7993]

I absolutely love this kind of content. I wish I could see these factories in person like you guys do. Amazing work, and awesome learning for serious computer enthusiasts.

[@CptJistuce]

45 seconds in, and I am deeply invested in this video. I MUST know more about Gary! ... And DIMM manufacturing. That's cool too.

[@YuNherd]

jaw dropping robotics and automation process. thanks steve.

[@cklotter]

Very "How It's Made", very well done! I love these tours and you guys do an amazing job with them! Excited for more!

[@Ni-qc6yq]

Thank you for these videos. This is good education.

[@hazonku]

As I said on the last video, these and the investigative journalism are what set GN above and beyond just being the gold standard of review channels and I'll keep forking over my money monthly and buying every bit of merch I can to keep them coming. Great job, guys! TIL I had no idea how small memory manufacturing facilities are even though I totally should have seen that coming.

[@itninja9503]

This is my favorite kind of content on this channel. Extremely interesting video, thank you!

[@swiftdee5287]

Thank you V-Color and thanks GN for this video. Appreciate this immensely.

[@McTroyd]

This is awesome, Steve! As commoditized as RAM can seem these days, it's fascinating to see the little steps that go into making each module. Props to V-Color for being willing to show off, to the extent they slowed and stopped the line for filming. 👍

[@noobvstheworld9050]

Awesome job Steve and team! Keep these videos coming!

[@TomCatT_]

Thanks for the video and Happy New Year!

[@olivergoldvalente]

This series has made me nostalgic for the oughts and 2010's shows like how it's made, but wayyy more interesting. I've loved the music choices so far, great script and VO, well edited, and great commentary on the various aspects of these factories, good and bad. I love the series so far! Keep it up.

[@alistairblaire6001]

This series is fantastic. I’m genuinely really excited to see what the future holds for it.

[@TexanMiror2]

Absolutely fascinating. Thanks for making the video!

[@roberttrifts2737]

That was very cool guys. Thanks to you (and V-Color) - and Happy New Year!

[@ck17350]

Loved the energy and especially the music choices in the beginning. Great vid Steve and team!

[@ImOnMy116]

this is a stellar video, appreciate you guys making this amazing content!! I also just feel like there isn’t enough credit given for the quality of the scripting and voice over work, just very engaging!

[@dotxyn]

This was an immediate watch for me. Love this content. Well done GN.

[@kia8077]

Keep the factory tours coming! ❤ Happy New year

[@pietraszko100]

I like how this channel gets more and more educational. Thanks Steve ❤

[@spladam3845]

Super interesting guys, thanks for this, I'm going to have to watch it a couple more times to absorb all of it.

[@_Spacecraft]

It's amazing with how fast and efficiently they can create and test components, how often I have a hard time actually finding stuff in stock.

[@moto3463]

I love this how it’s made series. Great way to grow tech enthusiasts.

[@xXmobiusXx1]

I worked for a company as a Senior SMT technician for the Fuji Aim EX III manufacturing motherboards for a customer in the server/ data center space using both AMD Epyc and Intel Ampere CPU's. My job was to train new people on how to operate/ load parts into the machines and to help engineers keep the machines running. I also ran the ICT ( in circuit testing ) on a Keysight i3070 series 6 which was a faster and more indepth fixture compared to flying prob. It uses thousands of pogo pins on top and bottom to make contact with all test points and run unpowered and powered tests to ensure all parts are present, properly polarity, functioning and no shorts. I also ran FBT ( functional board test ) it's similar but simulates a real working environment with test CPU's installed and runs a series of tests to ensure the board will handle the tasks it was built to do under " extreme " use case conditions.

[@Mirio1507]

This is Such an Amazing Series!!. Love it!❤❤. As a VLSI Electronics graduate it's really a great opportunity to get a chance to see these PC manufacturing processes. My first KZbin channel that I Joined 🤗🤗. Keep the Amazing work coming m

[@FranklySean]

Incredible work!

[@whoevertf]

Fantastic! Very high quality video for sure.

[@fruzeniusgames]

This is so cool to see. Really excited to watch these on Saturdays and learn about all the cool processes

[@davidamendez7263]

Great job. Love the manufacturing series

[@Shaggywasntme27]

I used this brands sticks in my old rig. Loved them when I had them. Very reliable

[@chriall]

Thanks Steve & GN Team, that was really cool to see 😁

[@marxmaiale9981]

Very much reminds me of the TV show 'How It's Made'

[@GamersNexus]

That's a big compliment. Thank you!

[@KencoShadowraven]

*Resists the urge to 5 hour binge of 'how it's made' videos with the 'just one more' excuse* damn those things addictive

[@sayohikawa3196]

Thanks you from this cool videos, this factorys tours are my favorites, real tours and journalism and no just an invitation from the companies to do free PR.

[@Valenzx718]

I didn't plan to continue watching after the first 2 min and ended up finishing the video . Loved it!

[@techfan7808]

This is the single best factory tour and most informational video, I've ever seen. It also opened my eyes to the amount of waste. Way to go Gamers Nexus. This is a really high quality piece of journalism and education.

[@sodapopinksi667]

I got some V-Color Hynix CJR ddr4. Its still good. I would go with them again if the price is right, which it often is.

[@m4yd1e86]

This is amazing and extremely insightful. Thank you for making this! Looking forward to next Saturday.

[@andrecharboneaudre8765]

i absolutly love stuff like this. thank you so very much for doing things like this. its amazing to watch.

[@RobertD_83]

Thanks, Steve. Also, the entire TEAM!

[@AdamsWorlds]

Not sure how i missed this video, man it deserves more views than this. Thanks Steve and staff brilliant video.

[@LosDoux]

Amazing video, this types of videos are really need it. Appreciated it so much, not only shine a light in how computers components are made but also how amazing and exited can be the future of computer devs THANKS! GN ❤❤❤❤

[@Sipheren]

These are absolutely fantastic guys, this is the sort of stuff I love learning about and probably not something that ever gets made public all that often. Looking forward for more to come :)

[@ZDrive]

Thank you for these types of videos. It's nice to see how parts are made.

[@trev8591]

That's the coolest, most interesting thing I've seen this year!

[@Ecalypse]

This is awesome. I love ram overclocking so this is very interesting for me.

[@Chriss120]

these tours are amazing.

[@csheadtrip]

I love these types of videos! I'm in awe at all of this automation.

[@asmoto755]

This is so interesting! Loving these factory tours. I also especially loved the music around minute 7 to 8 :D

[@TRD_Mike]

The music throughout the entire video was 🔥

[@tjpoobah1244]

Very much enjoying this series. You wouldn't get this great content anywhere else.