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KEMET Introduces 'Soft Termination' to Reduce MLCC Cracking

KEMET Corporation
2006-11-14 16:54 1670

Flexibility Helps Move Flex Cracks into Safe Zone

GREENVILLE, S.C., Nov. 14 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Always looking toward

the future for capacitance solutions, KEMET Corporation (NYSE: KEM) today

announces a new MLCC capacitor that utilizes a soft termination to help

decrease the chances of board flex cracking. This innovative capacitor will

be available first quarter 2007.

MLCC cracking due to board assembly and handling has been an industry-

wide issue for some time. Thanks to KEMET's innovation, these capacitors will

be able to withstand flexing: Soft termination adds pliability to the end

termination, shifting any flex crack that may occur into the termination

area -- and away from active layers. This can reduce the risk of capacitor

failure due to an electrical short.

"KEMET now offers a complete portfolio of products designed to mitigate

the effects of board-induced flex cracks," says John Prymak, Applications

Manager. "This is especially important on power or battery lines where short-

circuit failures cannot be tolerated."

In addition to soft termination on the MLCCs, KEMET is currently

developing the following products to further diminish cracking instances:

-- "Clip-on Lead Frame" MLCCs, which will not crack from any board

flexing: This is an industry first

-- "Extended Termination" MLCCs; these will be designed to simultaneously

improve flex robustness while providing lower inductance

Prymak went on to say, "By choosing the correct KEMET product, designers

now have the option to find the capacitor that best meets their needs. Flex

crack may be controlled to change the short-circuit failure to a benign open-

circuit failure, or the occurrence of the crack may be moved to a higher flex

level, or it may be eliminated altogether."

KEMET's release of these products -- in addition to their current

offerings, such as the Open-Mode MLCC -- allows designers a wider variety of

choices and solutions for all available capacitance values. The chart below

showcases the full line of KEMET capacitors that address flex-cracking issues.

Samples are now available.

Moves Out

Point of

Failure Eliminates

During Board Catastrophic Eliminates

Solution Type Status Flex Failure Mode Flex

Cracks

Soft Samples X

Termination MLCC Available

Now

Extended

Termination MLCC Under X

Development

Open Mode MLCC Available X

Now

Floating

Electrode MLCC Available X

Now

Ta SMD Ta &

AO Available X

Now

Leaded Ta &

MLCC Available X

Now

Clip-on

Lead Frame MLCC Samples X

Available

Now

KEMET Corporation provides industry-leading, high-performance capacitance

solutions, including the world's most complete line of surface-mount

capacitor technologies across tantalum, ceramic and solid aluminum

dielectrics -- along with the world's best quality, delivery and service.

KEMET's common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the

symbol KEM. KEMET is an ISO 9001:2000 and ISO/TS 16949:2002 certified

company.

Source: KEMET Corporation
Keywords: Machinery
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