Murata reduces cap leadtimes

By Staff -- Purchasing, 10/19/2000

Murata Electronics North America says it has increased production of their new high-capacitance tantalum replacement ceramic capacitors. The capacitors are used as replacements for tantalum capacitors in cellular phones and computers.

Murata says it has doubled production of ceramic capacitors over the past 12 months reducing leadtimes from 52 weeks to 16 weeks.

Long leadtimes for capacitors have been a way of life for buyers in the cell phone and computer industries. The replacement capacitors have several applications including coupling, de-coupling, bypassing and signal smoothing, thus creating better performance. The ceramic capacitors are not polarized like other tantalums, thus eliminating problems with improper placement during manufacturing. In addition, the lower ESR of Murata's ceramic high-capacitance capacitors gives greater performance benefits and allows a ceramic capacitor with a lower capacitance value to easily replace a tantalum capacitor without any loss of functionality, according to Murata.