No matter what their capacity is, memory cards won’t do you much good if they detach from their headers and cause data loss, read failures, or system malfunctions. A nifty new device from 3M Electronic Solutions helps avert this detrimental disconnection using active mechanical retention to fasten the card to the header, providing a second layer of protection in addition to the passive friction that typically holds memory cards in place.

The 3M Retainer Clip for CompactFlash secures CompactFlash Type I and Type II removable memory cards mated with 3M CompactFlash II card headers, preventing the cards from falling out, even in high-vibration environments. Designers can easily incorporate the metal latch into existing CompactFlash II systems that use 3M card headers.

To improve reliability and guard against memory card loss, WinSystems has integrated the 3M Retainer Clip into CompactFlash headers installed on its new and existing SBCs designed for medical, transportation, industrial, communications, military/aerospace, and security and surveillance applications.