Production management of ceramic capacitors

What is a ceramic capacitor?

Ceramic capacitors are electrostatic components, produced in multiple configurations including surface mount multilayered ceramic chip (MLCC) as well as axial and radial leaded designs. Ceramic capacitors, especially the ubiquitous MLCC, represent the most commonly consumed capacitor by type worldwide in FY 2019 in terms of both value and volume.

Why is ceramic MLCC capacitor production so important?

Due to the high volume associated with ceramic MLCC capacitor production, massive economies of scale can lower raw material purchases from the merchant market because of the manufacturer’s ability to buy in bulk.

What is a multilayer ceramic capacitor?

The multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC), which is one of them, is the most significant passive element capable of storing and releasing electrical charge. For resonant circuit applications, MLCCs provide excellent stability and low losses, as well as great volumetric efficiency for buffer, by-pass, and coupling applications .

What is capacitor production?

Capacitor production is a complex process that requires precision and attention to detail. The first step in capacitor production is selecting the appropriate materials. Capacitors can be made from a variety of materials, including ceramic, tantalum, and aluminum.

Are capacitors a raw material intensive industry?

There is a scientific principle that ensures the economic viability of the global merchant market for raw materials consumed in capacitors: capacitance is directly proportional to the physical size of the finished capacitor, which can also be interpreted as “available surface area.” Therefore, capacitors are a raw material intensive industry.

How do global manufacturers of ceramic capacitors save money?

Another method of cost-savings employed by global manufacturers of ceramic capacitors includes the intentional production of large volumes of ceramic chip capacitors in low-cost production regions of the world (Korea, Philippines, Thailand and China are good regional low-cost production bases for MLCCs).