Passive components for Estonia’s startups come in packs set by case size, not by value. On the Hong Kong shelf dated 23 September 2026, every one of the 153 MLCC lines at 0201, 0402 or 0603 that shows a pack size shows one pack size per case size: 15,000, 10,000 or 4,000. Plan the BOM in packs.
Venatech Limited, an authorised Walsin distributor in Hong Kong, wrote this post for Estonian design engineers, contract manufacturers and founders who build small runs of electronics. It is based on Walsin Technology (Walsin) 00_ALL_MLCC_parts_combined.xlsx (24,026 rows), our stock snapshot of 1,125 part numbers dated 23 September 2026, and two published reports on Estonian industry. Every part number is real, and we re-counted every figure.
What is Estonia’s defence industry reporting, and what does it mean for a small component order?
An Estonia.ee article published on 27 July 2026 quotes the Estonian Defence and Aerospace Industry Association’s CEO saying the sector’s sales could exceed EUR 1 billion in 2026. Defence and security sales were about EUR 750 million in 2025, roughly two thirds of it exported, against about EUR 500 million in 2024. The same report counted around 170 companies in 2024, almost 20 of them new that year, and put the 2026 defence budget at EUR 2.4 billion, or 5.43% of GDP.
A separate piece by the association’s cluster manager, dated 7 January 2026, named the priority areas: drones, anti-drone defence, electronic warfare, sensor technology, situational awareness, AI-based analysis and cybersecurity. It said most Estonian solutions are dual-use, and that large European procurements often take three to five years from first contact to sale. Neither page discusses component sourcing, and we draw no claim from them about what any company buys. Our view, labelled as ours: a founder with a new design and a long sales cycle buys many part numbers in small runs, which is the opposite of how a reel is sold.
Does pack size follow value, series or case size?
Case size. We parsed all 24,026 MLCC rows and joined them to the 501 snapshot lines that show a pack quantity (SPQ): at 0201 all 9 lines show 15,000, at 0402 all 72 show 10,000, and at 0603 all 72 show 4,000, whatever the value, voltage or series. We have not seen this counted anywhere.
Chip resistors behave the same way. Walsin’s WR general-purpose resistor codes show 15,000 on all 4 WR02 lines (0201), 10,000 on all 78 WR04 lines (0402) and 5,000 on all 100 WR06 lines (0603). Larger sizes drift: 0805 MLCC shows 3,000 on 24 lines and 4,000 on 25.
| Case size | MLCC lines with a pack shown | MLCC pack | Chip resistor pack | Example part numbers | Match / mismatch for a 25-line prototype BOM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0201 | 9 | 15,000 on 9 of 9 | 15,000 on 4 of 4 (WR02) | 0201B103K100, WR02X4700FAL |
Mismatch with a prototype: 25 lines means 25 packs |
| 0402 | 72 | 10,000 on 72 of 72 | 10,000 on 78 of 78 (WR04) | 0402B103K500, WR04W1504FTL |
Mismatch with a prototype: the pack is one value of 10,000 |
| 0603 | 72 | 4,000 on 72 of 72 | 5,000 on 100 of 100 (WR06) | 0603B103K101, WR06X000PTL |
Mismatch with a prototype, smaller pack |
| 0805 | 49 | 3,000 or 4,000 | 5,000 (WR08, 26 lines) | read the line | Match only if you read each line |
The mismatch is with the way a prototype is bought, not with a specification. A standard pack is how a line is held and shipped, and we do not state a minimum order quantity or a price here. If you need less than a pack, ask whether a split is possible for your part numbers and in writing. Our post on how to check Walsin stock and reserve it explains the snapshot columns.
Which RF MLCC match a small-capacitance 0402 line?
Six Walsin RF-series parts match a worked requirement of 0402, NP0, 0.8 to 1.2 pF, ±0.1 pF or tighter, 50 V or more. We read the RF and UF microwave series (3,900 rows) and found the matching lines on the shelf, each with a 10,000-piece pack shown. Walsin’s RF approval sheet (April 2026) lists telecommunication equipment, RF modules such as power amplifiers and VCOs, and tuners as applications. It names no defence use, and we claim none.
| Walsin part number | Size | Capacitance, tolerance | Rated voltage | Your incumbent | Match / mismatch against 0402, NP0, 0.8 to 1.2 pF, ±0.1 pF or tighter, 50 V |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RF15N0R8A500 |
0402 | 0.8 pF, ±0.05 pF | 50 V | Match, tolerance tighter | |
RF15N0R8B500 |
0402 | 0.8 pF, ±0.1 pF | 50 V | Match on all fields | |
RF15N1R0A500 |
0402 | 1.0 pF, ±0.05 pF | 50 V | Match, tolerance tighter | |
RF15N1R0B500 |
0402 | 1.0 pF, ±0.1 pF | 50 V | Match on all fields | |
RF15N1R1B500 |
0402 | 1.1 pF, ±0.1 pF | 50 V | Match on all fields | |
RF15N1R2B500 |
0402 | 1.2 pF, ±0.1 pF | 50 V | Match on all fields | |
RF15N0R4B500 |
0402 | 0.4 pF, ±0.1 pF | 50 V | Mismatch: value below the 0.8 pF floor | |
RF03N0R4B500 |
0201 | 0.4 pF, ±0.1 pF | 50 V | Mismatch: 0201 body, value below the floor | |
RF18N0R8A251 |
0603 | 0.8 pF, ±0.05 pF | 250 V | Mismatch: 0603 body, higher voltage |
The 0402 parts in the table publish 0.50 ±0.05 mm thickness, the 0201 part 0.30 ±0.03 mm and the 0603 part 0.80 ±0.07 mm. Read the Microwave RF approval sheet for Q and ESR; the export carries no Q or ESR column, and we hold no figure for either. Our post on high-Q low-ESR MLCC for RF covers how the series divide.
Why does a plus or minus 0.5 pF filter find only 121 of 309 RF rows?
Because the same tolerance is typed three ways. In the 3,900 RF and UF rows the Tolerance column holds 14 different strings for 10 real tolerances, and ±0.5 pF is written +-0.50pF on 162 rows, +-0.5pF on 121 rows and ±0.5pF on 26 rows, 309 in all. A filter on the string +-0.5pF returns 121 of them, 39%.
The same happens at the fine end: ±0.03 pF appears as +-0.03pF on 23 rows and ±0.03pF on 10, and ±0.02 pF as +-0.02pF on 47 and ±0.02pF on 2. The ± is a real plus-minus sign in the second spelling and two ASCII characters in the first. This is the kind of defect that the cross-reference tool normalises before it matches, and a spreadsheet filter does not. Paste your incumbent into the free cross-reference tool, which reads across 18 manufacturers’ part numbers decoded and 800,000+ crossable parts, and it states each difference rather than calling a part an alternative.
What was on the Hong Kong shelf on 23 September 2026?
67 microwave lines, 66 RF and 1 UF. We joined the snapshot to the export by catalogue code: 27 lines at 0201, 23 at 0402, 12 at 0603 and 5 at 0805. Of the 67, only the 9 held in Hong Kong at 0402 show a pack (10,000), and the other 58 show none. The Hong Kong 0402 lines are RF15N0R4B500, RF15N0R8A500, RF15N0R8B500, RF15N1R0A500, RF15N1R0B500, RF15N1R1B500, RF15N1R2B500, RF15N160G500 and RF15N3R0B500.
For a design that needs 0201 or 0603 RF capacitors, the snapshot holds those lines but does not show their pack, so ask. Quantities move. Check Hong Kong ready stock, or send the BOM to the BOM checker, which takes up to 500 part numbers or an Excel or CSV file. Qualification stays with you.
What do we not claim for an Estonian buyer?
We hold 28 Walsin datasheets (26 MLCC and 2 chip resistor, 451 pages) and send the one for your part number on request. We hold no datasheet for RF parts other than MLCC, none for inductors, antennas, disc capacitors or MOV varistors, and no document in which Walsin qualifies a part for military or space service. Say so to your own approvals team early.
We name no Estonian customer, and the sector figures describe an industry. We state no transit time, duty or export-control position, and give no legal or customs advice: confirm with your compliance team, including any end-use or dual-use review. We state no country of origin. A cross-reference result is a specification match against Walsin’s published catalogue, never an approval. Confirm against both datasheets and qualify in your own circuit.
The short version
Estonian defence and security sales were about EUR 750 million in 2025 and could pass EUR 1 billion in 2026, per the sector association. Pack size on our shelf follows case size: 15,000 at 0201, 10,000 at 0402, 4,000 at 0603 on 153 of 153 MLCC lines with a pack shown. Six Walsin 0402 RF parts matched our worked sub-picofarad line. A ±0.5 pF string filter returns 121 of 309 RF rows. We hold no mil-spec or space document.
Send us the small-run BOM or paste the RF lines into the free cross-reference tool. We will return Walsin candidates with every difference stated and the packs we can show. Qualification stays with you. And a question: when you count your prototype BOM in lines, have you counted it in packs? See the Walsin MLCC range.
Sources
Fetched 20 October 2026. Statements about Estonian industry are taken from these pages and paraphrased; part data comes from our own Walsin exports, approval sheets and stock snapshot.
- Estonia.ee (Estonian Defence and Aerospace Industry Association figures), “Estonian defence industry could top EUR 1B revenue in 2026”, 27 July 2026: https://estonia.ee/defence/news/estonian-defence-industry-revenue
- Estonia.ee, Rene Ehasalu, “Estonian defence industry in 2026: a window of opportunity for niche manufacturers in the face of protectionism”, 7 January 2026: https://estonia.ee/defence/news/estonian-defence-industry-in-2026-a-window-of-opportunity-for-niche-manufacturers-in-the-face-of-protectionism
- Walsin Microwave RF approval sheet (April 2026): https://www.passivecomponent.com/wp-content/uploads/datasheet/WTC_MLCC_Microwave_RF.pdf
Frequently asked questions
<!– wp:rank-math/faq-block {"questions":[{"id":"faq-question-01","title":"What pack size does Walsin use for 0402 MLCC in Estonia?","content":"On our shelf dated 23 September 2026, all 72 MLCC lines at 0402 that show a pack show 10,000. At 0201 all 9 show 15,000 and at 0603 all 72 show 4,000. Pack size follows case size, not value. We state no minimum order or price.","visible":true},{"id":"faq-question-02","title":"Can an Estonian startup buy less than a standard pack?","content":"Ask in writing for your part numbers. We do not publish a minimum order quantity, and 624 of the 1,125 snapshot lines show no pack at all. Send the BOM and we will answer per line, with the packs we can show.","visible":true},{"id":"faq-question-03","title":"Which Walsin RF MLCC match a 1 pF 0402 line?","content":"RF15N1R0A500 (±0.05 pF) and RF15N1R0B500 (±0.1 pF) are both 0402, NP0, 50 V and were on the Hong Kong shelf on 23 September 2026 with a 10,000-piece pack shown. Check Q and ESR in the approval sheet.”,”visible”:true},{“id”:”faq-question-04″,”title”:”Why does a tolerance filter miss RF rows?”,”content”:”The same tolerance is spelled several ways. In 3,900 RF and UF rows, ±0.5 pF appears as three strings on 309 rows, and a filter on one string finds 121. Normalise the column or use a tool that does.”,”visible”:true},{“id”:”faq-question-05″,”title”:”Does Walsin say its RF capacitors are for defence?”,”content”:”Not in the sheets we hold. The RF and UF sheets list telecommunication equipment, RF modules such as power amplifiers and VCOs, and tuners. We hold no military or space qualification document, so involve your approvals team early.”,”visible”:true},{“id”:”faq-question-06″,”title”:”Is a cross-reference result an approved replacement?”,”content”:”No. It is a specification match against Walsin’s published catalogue, offered as a candidate. Confirm against both datasheets and qualify in your own circuit. Venatech makes no approval or qualification claim on your behalf.”,”visible”:true}],”listStyle”:””,”titleWrapper”:”h3″,”titleCssClasses”:””,”contentCssClasses”:””,”sizeSlug”:””} –>
What pack size does Walsin use for 0402 MLCC in Estonia?
On our shelf dated 23 September 2026, all 72 MLCC lines at 0402 that show a pack show 10,000. At 0201 all 9 show 15,000 and at 0603 all 72 show 4,000. Pack size follows case size, not value. We state no minimum order or price.
Can an Estonian startup buy less than a standard pack?
Ask in writing for your part numbers. We do not publish a minimum order quantity, and 624 of the 1,125 snapshot lines show no pack at all. Send the BOM and we will answer per line, with the packs we can show.
Which Walsin RF MLCC match a 1 pF 0402 line?
RF15N1R0A500 (±0.05 pF) and RF15N1R0B500 (±0.1 pF) are both 0402, NP0, 50 V and were on the Hong Kong shelf on 23 September 2026 with a 10,000-piece pack shown. Check Q and ESR in the approval sheet.
Why does a tolerance filter miss RF rows?
The same tolerance is spelled several ways. In 3,900 RF and UF rows, ±0.5 pF appears as three strings on 309 rows, and a filter on one string finds 121. Normalise the column or use a tool that does.
Does Walsin say its RF capacitors are for defence?
Not in the sheets we hold. The RF and UF sheets list telecommunication equipment, RF modules such as power amplifiers and VCOs, and tuners. We hold no military or space qualification document, so involve your approvals team early.
Is a cross-reference result an approved replacement?
No. It is a specification match against Walsin’s published catalogue, offered as a candidate. Confirm against both datasheets and qualify in your own circuit. Venatech makes no approval or qualification claim on your behalf.