Robust design for a multilayer ceramic capacitor screen-printing process case study

Multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) are widely used in consumer electronics. The compact design of the MLCC in high-speed printed circuit board assembly makes it the major form of capacitor design. Yield improvement is the most challenging part of MLCC manufacturing in view of its processing complexity, particularly in the paste screen-printing process. Industrial reports have shown that the yield loss for fine-pitch MLCCs could be as high as 40% and screen-printing quality problems could represent about 80% of yield loss. Thus, paste screen-printing quality is critical if an MLCC firm is to gain a competitive edge. This paper reports on the use of the Taguchi method to improve screen-printing quality for fine-pitch MLCCs. Empirical results demonstrate a significant improvement in printing quality and point to a successful application of this process.