Method and apparatus for producing a ceramic electronic component

A method for producing a ceramic electronic component including a ceramic element body, comprising:

• a step of forming a plated layer on an inside surface of a recess of a mold member into which a portion of the ceramic element body can be inserted and fitted;
• a step of allowing a surface of the portion of the ceramic element body to be brought into contact with said plated layer formed on the inside surface of the recess of said mold member by inserting and fitting the portion of said ceramic element body into the recess of said mold member;
• a step of performing heat processing on said ceramic element body in a state in which the surface of the portion of said ceramic element body is in contact with said plated layer, thereby to form an external conductor layer made of said plated layer on the surface of the portion of said ceramic element body;
• and
• a step of separating said ceramic element body, on which said external conductor layer is formed, from said mold member.

A method for producing a ceramic electronic component including a ceramic element body, the method comprising the sequentially performed steps of:

• forming a plated layer on an inside surface of a recess of a mold member into which a portion of the ceramic element body is to be inserted and fitted;
• allowing a surface of the portion of the ceramic element body to be brought into contact with said plated layer formed on the inside surface of the recess of said mold member by inserting and fitting the portion of said ceramic element body into the recess of said mold member;
• performing heat processing on said ceramic element body in a state in which the surface of the portion of said ceramic element body is in contact with said plated layer, thereby to form an external conductor layer made of said plated layer on the surface of the portion of said ceramic element body;
• and
• separating said ceramic element body, on which said external conductor layer is formed, from said mold member.

An apparatus for producing a ceramic electronic component including a ceramic element body, the apparatus comprising:

• a first station arranged to form a plated layer on an inside surface of a recess of a mold member into which a portion of the ceramic element body can be inserted and fitted;
• a second station arranged to allow a surface of the portion of said ceramic element body to be brought into contact with said plated layer formed on the inside surface of the recess of said mold member by inserting and fitting the portion of said ceramic element body into the recess of said mold member;
• a third station arranged to perform heat processing on said ceramic element body in a state in which the surface of the portion of said ceramic element body is in contact with said plated layer, thereby to form an external conductor layer made of said plated layer on the surface of the portion of said ceramic element body;
• and
• a fourth station arranged to separate said ceramic element body, on which said external conductor layer is formed, from said mold member;
• wherein
• the first station, the second station, the third station and the fourth station are successively arranged in this order.

A plurality of ceramic electronic components in which a plated layer is formed on a surface of a portion of each of a plurality of ceramic element bodies, comprising:

• a plurality of ceramic element bodies having upper and lower surfaces and left and right side surfaces connecting the upper and lower surfaces;
• and
• a plurality of plated layers in which each of the plated layers is arranged to extend from one end of the upper surface of each of said plurality of ceramic element bodies to one end of the lower surface by passing through at least one of the left side surface and the right side surface;
• wherein
• a ratio of a standard deviation relative to an average value of lengths of said plurality of plated layers formed on the one end of either of the upper surface or the lower surface of each of said plurality of ceramic element bodies is about 3% or less.