AN114 - High Voltage Ceramic Capacitor Testing Protocols

CalRamic Technologies provides High Voltage Capacitors for a variety of applications: Geothermal/Geophysical, Commercial and Military, Medical, and Hi-Reliability Space level.  A variety of environmental conditions exist in all of these applications, and understanding the Protocols and screening criteria can be a bit confusing.

The level of reliability associated with capacitor selection is generally dictated by the intended application in which a capacitor will be used and the associated environmental conditions to which the part will be subjected. These applications can differ significantly, from basic commercial applications, to more demanding industrial, military/aerospace or automotive programs, to system critical space applications. Ensuring that the chosen capacitor matches its intended application is critical to achieving long term success. This application note reviews the more
common applications and presents testing protocols most often associated with the governing specifications that exist.

Feel free to contact our Applications Engineering team to discuss the definitions and options to help find the correct part and screening for you.

Space Expo Europe 2017 Another Successful Event

Space Expo Europe 2017 was a huge success.  We would like to thank our distributor, Protech GmbH, for the fantastic booth space and hospitality.  It was a pleasure seeing old friends and having the opportunity to create new business relationships.  If you have any questions regarding our capacitor product lines you can contact CalRamic directly or one of our Sales Distributors serving your area.

AN106 - Partial Discharge Testing & Long Term Reliability

Most of us think of High-Reliability applications as limited to Spacecraft missions.  The fact is a non-repairable application can also be defined as high cost or limited access of the power supply.   Reliability of the high voltage capacitor being used in these type of applications is of the utmost importance.  CalRamic Technologies focuses on the proper designs, materials used, and strict processing of its components to ensure reliability.  Screening and testing for final inspection is vitally important to qualify the component.  

For high reliability applications, Partial Discharge Corona testing is a final screening test.  It is one of the most practical tests to detect minor and major defects in Ceramic Capacitors.   Application Note 106 outlines the general theory and screening criteria for High Voltage Ceramic Capacitors. Please feel free to contact one of our Technical Representatives with questions regarding your specific application at info@calramic.com.

APEC 2017 - Off to Great Start!

APEC 2017 in Tampa, has been off to a great start. It's an opportunity to meet with old friends and forge new business alliances.  If you haven't visited our booth yet, we are located at Booth 1712.  A wide array of our high voltage ceramic capacitors are on display.  Jeff Day, founder and chief engineer, is available to answer questions specific to your industry and application.

 

CalRamic Technologies Named 2016 Leaders in Electronics

CalRamic Technologies has been named one of electronic design's Leaders in Electronics for 2016.

We are honored to have been recognized as a leader in emerging application support, customer trends and market movements.  Our high voltage ceramic capacitors are used in an array of industries from commercial to space applications.  New products are constantly in R&D to ensure we are providing cutting edge, high-reliabilty technology to our clients.  We look forward to maintaining our electronics leadership role as a U.S. manufacturing company.

Advantages of Tabbed Surface Mount Ceramic Capacitors (MLCCs)

CalRamic Technologies LLC manufactures a variety of high voltage ceramic capacitors, including tabbed multilayer chip capacitors (MLCCs).   It is important to consider the thermal and mechanical stresses and strains an MLCC may be subjected to in both soldering it to a printed circuit board (PCB) and in its operation.  One way to mitigate the risks associated with thermal and mechanical fracturing of an MLCC is to provide stress and strain relief to it through electrode-mounted tabs.  CalRamic Technologies offers several tabbed MLCCs—as well as custom designs—for increased reliability in demanding environments.

The extent and type of thermal fracturing depends on several factors.  Tabbed MLCCs are a simple way to eliminate concerns about these variables by simply reducing the amount of heat an MLCC is exposed to during soldering to the PCB and during operation.  Due to temperature gradients that may develop during heating, CalRamic Technologies recommends tabs for MLCCs greater than .200” x .200”.  MLCCs are also susceptible to mechanical fracturing when a PCB flexes or expands because they are relatively inflexible in comparison.  Tabs provide critical stress and strain relief to MLCCs in environments where mechanical deformations of the PCB occur.

Tabs on an MLCC can significantly reduce the risk of thermal and mechanical fracturing compared to their bare counterparts.  CalRamic is committed to the success of your applications and offers several products designed to achieve this.  Additional educational information on the topics discussed here can be found in our Application Notes.  For questions about your particular application(s) and our capacitors, please contact our Applications Engineering, Jeff Day and Anthony Bass team.

High Voltage Ceramic Capacitor Application Notes

High Voltage applications require special, focused attention to detail when designing a Power Supply or Circuit.  Manufacturing High Voltage Ceramic Capacitors, 500 V to 30 kV, also requires special attention for successful material selection, design, fabrication, and testing.  Our expertise and experience in these critical areas has made us an industry leader in manufacturing reliable High Voltage Ceramic Capacitors.

To assist you in the usage of our High Voltage Capacitors, we offer a full range of Application Notes that are available on our website.  From soldering guidelines, to testing and screening options, we are continually adding information to our database to help you get the most out of your capacitors.

For general information, check out our AN109 series on Capacitor Theory Notes.

Our full range of products can be found on our Products page.  Contact us with specific questions or application requirements for a custom capacitor design.