Passive Components Made from High-Performance Ceramics
Passive components are the quiet foundation of every electronic circuit: They regulate currents, transfer energy, and protect systems—without actively switching themselves. CeramTec is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of ceramic passive components and has been supplying the electronics industry for decades with resistor carriers, coil formers, and fuse components made from high-performance ceramics.
The Essentials at a Glance
- CeramTec supplies ceramic passive components - including resistor bodies, coil formers, and fuse elements - for demanding electronic applications in industry.
- Technical ceramics enable virtually 100% pore-free surfaces, excellent electrical insulation, and high thermal conductivity - properties that plastic or metal alternatives cannot achieve.
- Our laser-machined SMT components meet the precise geometrical requirements of modern pick-and-place and SMD reflow soldering processes.
Why Technical Ceramics for Passive Components?
Technical ceramics are the ideal material for passive components—especially in applications where plastics, metals, or conventional materials reach their limits. The key material properties at a glance:
- Virtually pore-free surfaces – for maximum dimensional accuracy and reproducible electrical properties
- Excellent electrical insulation – reliable galvanic isolation, even under high-voltage conditions
- High flexural strength and fracture toughness – critical for SMD reflow soldering and automated pick-and-place assembly
- Good thermal conductivity – efficient heat dissipation for thermally stressed components
- Chemical resistance and long-term stability – even in aggressive environments and at elevated temperatures
- Tight geometric tolerances for length, width, thickness, and flatness – essential for automated manufacturing processes
The combination of these properties makes ceramics the material of choice for demanding electronic applications in industry, automotive, medical technology, and energy technology.
FAQ - CeramTec Passive Components
What are the advantages of ceramic resistor bodies over plastic carriers?
Compared with plastic carriers, ceramic resistor bodies offer significantly higher temperature resistance, better thermal conductivity, a longer service life, and virtually pore-free surfaces for precise, reproducible resistance values - even under extreme operating conditions.
Which geometries and tolerances are relevant for SMT assembly processes?
During the pick-and-place assembly process, the length, width, and thickness of the component bodies, as well as the flatness of their surfaces, are particularly important. For SMD reflow soldering, flexural strength and fracture toughness also play a key role in withstanding thermal shocks.
For which voltage ranges are ceramic fuses suitable?
CeramTec ceramic fuse elements are designed for both low-voltage and high-voltage applications. The excellent electrical insulation properties of ceramics ensure reliable arc quenching, even at high voltages.
Can CeramTec manufacture customized geometries for passive components?
Yes. CeramTec develops and manufactures passive components in customized geometries and according to individual requirements - from development and prototype production through to series production.