Method for manufacturing monolithic ceramic electronic components

A method for manufacturing monolithic ceramic electronic components comprising:

• a step of making ceramic laminates, each including a ceramic laminate main body including first and second principal surfaces extending in a length direction and a width direction, first and second side surfaces extending in the length direction and a thickness direction, and first and second end surfaces extending in the width direction and the thickness direction;
• first internal electrodes disposed inside the ceramic laminate main body to be parallel or substantially parallel with the first and second principal surfaces, the first internal electrodes being exposed at the first end surface and the first and second side surfaces;
• and second internal electrodes disposed inside the ceramic laminate main body to face the respective first internal electrodes in the thickness direction, with ceramic layers interposed between adjacent ones of the first and second internal electrodes, the second internal electrodes being exposed at the second end surface and the first and second side surfaces;
• wherein
• the step of making ceramic laminates includes:
• a step of producing a ceramic green sheet laminate by stacking ceramic green sheets in a stacking direction, each including conductive films for forming the first or second internal electrodes on a surface thereof;
• a first cutting step of cutting the ceramic green sheet laminate by pressing and moving a first cutting blade only in the stacking direction to form the first and second end surfaces at which the first or second internal electrodes are exposed;
• and
• a second cutting step of cutting the ceramic green sheet laminate by pressing and moving a second cutting blade only in a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction to form the first and second side surfaces at which the first and second internal electrodes are exposed;
• wherein
• in the second cutting step, the ceramic green sheet laminate is pressed and cut by moving the second cutting blade in the length direction or the width direction with a cutting edge of the second cutting blade extending in the stacking direction.