In early 2025, Lexar introduced a world first: an SD memory card built from stainless steel rather than plastic. The choice of stainless steel isn't just style related, it's an engineering decision with direct benefits in strength, resilience, and longevity.
Conventional SD cards rely on moulded plastic shells. These housings are inexpensive to produce but prone to cracking under pressure, delaminating with repeated use, and failing when exposed to harsh conditions. For professionals working in environments where data integrity is critical, whether capturing high-speed sports, operating in marine climates, or travelling in remote locations, plastic simply introduces too much risk.
Lexar selected 316 stainless steel for its proven track record in demanding industries. This grade offers exceptional corrosion resistance, ensuring the card remains unaffected by moisture, salt, or chemical exposure. It is also inherently UV-stable, preventing degradation that can occur in polymer housings left in bright sunlight. Combined with an IP68 rating, the stainless steel body allows the card to survive immersion, dust ingress, and physical impacts that would render a traditional card unusable.
Mechanical strength is another decisive factor. The Armor series cards can withstand pressures up to 370 Newtons, making them 37 times stronger than a conventional equivalent. Stainless steel’s rigidity also enables precision engineering choices: a ribless edge profile that resists deformation, the removal of the fragile write-protect switch, and laser-engraved markings that cannot peel or fade. Each of these features stems directly from the use of stainless steel as a structural material rather than a decorative one.
The result is not just a memory card, but an engineered component designed for the rigours of professional use.
And to close on a lighter note: why did the stainless steel SD card ace its stress test? Because it never buckled under pressure.
For more stainless steel tech on our website have a look at these past articles:
The incredible World War II Stainless Steel spy camera
Helicopter lands on Mars with a little help from Stainless Steel
Stainless Steel foam helping aircraft get their wings
NEW Ultra Stainless Steel boosts green Hydrogen production
Image used is juts for artistic purposes, it is not the actual memory card in the news article.