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How Is The Expected Shortage of MLCC Capacitors Affecting You?

rscasny

As we discussed in a recent Tech Spotlight called, "How Polymer Capacitors Can Replace Multi-Layer Ceramic Capacitors," due to the growth in consumer, portable and automotive electronics, "the supply of MLCCs required for many general purpose applications is under stress, and lead-times that are already long are expected to be stretched further." (The Spotlight details how polymer capacistors can be an alternative to MLCCs.)

 

How is this expected shortage affecting you now? Are you changing the way you design circuits or source components? Do you have a plan in place to obtain MLCCs or what you are going to do when the tight supply of MLCCs is in full swing?

 

If you haven't heard much about this expected shortage of MLCCs, go this page to learn more.

 

  • Hi Randall,

     

    From my perspective the small values (like 100nF etc) that are needed often, have even affected prototyping, stocks are so low of the popular and the unpopular values : )

    I always ordered extras to have a buffer, but now when I place an order I order even more, just in case.

     

    Of these small popular MLCC values, I have enough of a buffer for prototyping for a few years.

    For the large sized MLCC caps. there there is a mix of values/sizes/voltages that are sometimes needed, and it's hard to find them now : (

     

    A lot of the time the chip datasheets mention MLCC or electrolytic or tant etc by name, so the easy approach has been to follow the datasheet to the letter. This may need to change now.

     

    For the large values, Tant capacitors are fantastic (provided they are used safely) and so I was always happy to use them, but I've not used the more modern Polymer replacement so far. If they have characteristics similar to tantalum capacitors (which I understand is the case), then this is great. Currently I still use Tantalum capacitors in prototype projects.