Hi Bob/Rod! I recommend you log onto the AVX website and read through a
number of the technical references on the cracking of capacitors authored
by John Maxwell. The technical references do a very complete job of listing
potential crack source causes. And just to be fair, the other capacitor
fabricators (Kemet, Muriata, etc.) also have technical references which may
be of use. Good Luck.

Dave Hillman
Rockwell Collins
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                      Bob Perkins
                      <bperkins@APEXMIC        To:       [log in to unmask]
                      ROMFG.COM>               cc:
                      Sent by: TechNet         Subject:  [TN] Cracking Ceramic SMT Capacitors
                      <[log in to unmask]>


                      08/27/2003 06:41
                      PM
                      Please respond to
                      "TechNet E-Mail
                      Forum."; Please
                      respond to Bob
                      Perkins






                      Cracking Ceramic SMT Capacitors

" Is anyone else seeing an increase in the number of cracked and shorting
ceramic chip capacitors?  In our experience as a contract manufacturer we
have, in the past, seen the occasional instance of ceramic capacitors
cracking and shorting out. The cause of this problem is generally obvious,
as it is isolated to components situated in areas of the PCB that are
subject to flexing.

Recently however we have seen more frequent instances of this problem; very
often in areas of the board that should not be experiencing any appreciable
flex. Our process has not changed and neither have our sources of these
components. Have chip capacitors themselves become more fragile?"

Rod Lafond
Manager, Quality Assurance and Technical Training
APEX-Micro Manufacturing Corporation
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