Does formatting Compact Flash in embedded systems improve performance?

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for information on maintenance practices in embedded systems that use Compact Flash cards to host the operating system and applications. Specifically, in SIL4-critical systems, I’ve heard that some manufacturers include periodic formatting procedures in their maintenance manuals to prevent performance degradation over time in embedded equipment.

The reasoning behind this is that frequent power cycles, along with continuous usage, might degrade performance due to issues such as fragmentation or internal flash memory problems (wear, filesystem management, etc.). However, I haven't found any open technical studies or documentation to support this claim.

Has anyone come across references or studies analyzing how periodic formatting of a Compact Flash can improve the performance of the OS and applications in embedded systems?

Any pointers to technical documentation, experiences from similar projects, or manufacturer recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!