A soft termination MLCC puts a polymer layer in the termination so board bending is absorbed there, not in the ceramic. Walsin Technology (Walsin) bend-tests its soft termination series to 5 mm against 1 mm for general purpose parts, and at 0603 100 nF 50 V offers 5 soft termination parts for Polish builds, from Venatech, the authorised Walsin distributor in Hong Kong.
Venatech Limited, an authorised Walsin distributor in Hong Kong, wrote this for a hardware, manufacturing or quality engineer in Poland who has seen a capacitor fail short after depanelling, screw-down or in-circuit test. We read Walsin’s own approval sheets for the General Purpose, SH, SG, ST and MT series and its MLCC application guide, parsed Walsin’s MLCC export, 00_ALL_MLCC_parts_combined.xlsx (23,601 distinct part numbers), and checked our stock list as at 23 September 2026. The market figures name their source and the day we fetched them, 11 November 2026.
Why does board flex matter for Polish electronics production now?
Because Poland’s electronics output is growing fast. According to Trading Economics, with a release dated 20 October 2026, Poland’s industrial production rose 4.6% year on year in September 2026, and output of computer, electronic and optical products rose 12.6%, up from 7.1% in August.
Those are the statistics office’s figures as reported, not ours. The engineering point is ours: more boards through more depanelling routers, press-fit stations, screw bosses and test fixtures means more chances to bend a board after the capacitors are soldered, and a flex crack is the one MLCC failure that often passes test and fails in the field. We say nothing about any company’s lines.
How does a standard MLCC crack under board flex?
At the end of the termination. Walsin’s MLCC application guide warns that capacitors “cracked by dropping or bending of the board” may lose insulation resistance and short, and advises a fail-safe such as a fuse where a short could cause shock, smoke or fire.
When the board bends, the solder fillet and the rigid copper-nickel-tin termination transfer the strain into the ceramic body. The crack usually starts under the termination edge and runs diagonally into the active layers, where it can bridge electrodes of opposite polarity. It may not show at first: the part can measure correctly, then fail later as moisture enters the crack. Larger cases crack more easily because the same board curvature produces more strain across a longer body, and Walsin’s guide adds that the greater the amount of solder, the higher the stress on the chip, and asks for board support under the mounting head during placement.
How much more bend does a soft termination MLCC take in Walsin’s own tests?
Five times the deflection. Walsin’s General Purpose approval sheet bend-tests at 1 mm deflection held 5 seconds; the SH and SG soft termination sheets test at 5 mm held 5 seconds, and the AEC-Q200 ST soft termination sheet tests to AEC-Q200-005 at 5 mm held 60 seconds, all with X7R capacitance change within ±12.5%.
| Walsin series | Termination | Bend test deflection | Hold time | X7R limit | Source sheet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General purpose | Standard Ni/Sn | 1 mm | 5 s | ±12.5% | 01_General_Purpose.pdf |
| MT (AEC-Q200) | Standard | 2 mm (X7R), AEC-Q200-005 | 60 s | ±12.5% | 11_Automotive_MT.pdf |
| SH | Soft, Ag-polymer | 5 mm | 5 s | ±12.5% | 19_Soft_Term_SH.pdf |
| SG | Soft, Cu-polymer | 5 mm | 5 s | ±12.5% | 20_Soft_Term_SG.pdf |
| ST (AEC-Q200) | Soft | 5 mm, AEC-Q200-005 | 60 s | ±12.5% | 12_Soft_Term_Automotive_ST.pdf |
The SH sheet describes its termination as a polymer layer “to withstand high bending stress in SMT”. A higher test deflection is a stronger qualification point, not a promise that your board will never crack a part; board design still matters.
Which Walsin 0603 100 nF 50 V parts give you a soft termination option?
Five of thirteen. We counted 13 Walsin X7R part numbers at 100 nF, 50 V, in 0603; 5 are soft termination (SH, SG and ST), and 3 were on our stock list as at 23 September 2026, including the soft termination SH18B104K500.
| Walsin part | Series | Tolerance | Thickness (mm) | Match / mismatch for a flex-prone 0603 100 nF 50 V brief | On the shelf, 23 Sep 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SH18B104K500 |
SH soft termination | ±10% | 0.80 ±0.30 | Match, soft termination | yes |
SH18B104J500 |
SH soft termination | ±5% | 0.80 ±0.30 | Match, tighter tolerance | no, request a quote |
SG18B104K500 |
SG soft termination | ±10% | 0.80 ±0.30 | Match, Cu-polymer | no, request a quote |
ST18B104K500 |
ST soft termination, AEC-Q200 | ±10% | 0.80 ±0.30 | Match, automotive | no, request a quote |
MT18B104K500 |
MT, AEC-Q200 | ±10% | 0.80 | Mismatch: standard termination, 2 mm test | no, request a quote |
0603B104K500 |
General purpose | ±10% | 0.80 | Mismatch: standard termination, 1 mm test | yes |
Across the whole range, we counted 1,671 soft termination part numbers: 1,488 SH, 118 ST and 65 SG, from 0402 to 2225, with 30 SH parts on the 23 September 2026 snapshot. Note the wider thickness band on soft termination parts when you check pick-and-place settings. Our guide to flex cracking and board bend and to soft termination MLCC: SH, SG, ST and VT go further.
When should a Polish design specify soft termination MLCC?
Wherever the board bends after soldering. Our rule from the 1,671-part range: specify soft termination for any MLCC within about 5 mm of a depanelling line, screw boss, connector or press-fit zone, for 1206 and larger cases anywhere on a board that flexes, and for automotive boards use the AEC-Q200 ST series.
- Depanelling: parts near a V-score or router tab line.
- Mechanical fixing: parts near screw holes, standoffs and heat-sink clamps.
- Press-fit and through-hole insertion: parts near connectors.
- Large cases: 1206, 1210 and up, which see more strain for the same bend.
- High-voltage and input-line positions, where a short is most costly.
Board-level fixes come first: keep MLCC away from edges, orient them parallel to the bend line, and control solder volume. Soft termination adds part-level margin to them.
How can Venatech help a Polish team switch to soft termination?
How Venatech helps: we cross your standard parts to their Walsin soft termination options in one paste. Venatech Limited is Walsin’s authorised distributor in Hong Kong; our free VenaMatch tool decodes 18 manufacturers’ part numbers, crosses 800,000+ parts to Walsin, and filters for soft termination with every difference stated.
Paste up to 500 part numbers into the cross-reference tool and filter for soft termination, or upload a BOM. The ready-stock list is a Hong Kong snapshot dated 23 September 2026; for parts not on it, request a quote and we source through our authorised Walsin channel. We hold the Walsin SH, SG and ST approval sheets and send them on request. Small lots from Hong Kong, no lead-time or stock promise. The MLCC range lists the families.
The short version
Standard MLCC crack at the termination when the board bends; soft termination moves that stress into a polymer layer. Walsin tests its SH, SG and ST soft termination series to 5 mm, against 1 mm for general purpose, and lists 1,671 soft termination part numbers, including SH18B104K500 on our Hong Kong shelf.
Send us the capacitor lines nearest your depanelling and fixing points, and we will return Walsin soft termination candidates side by side. Where on your board does it bend?
Related reading
- Flex cracking and board bend: why soft termination exists
- Soft termination MLCC: SH, SG, ST and VT
- AEC-Q200 MLCC: MT vs MG series
- Free cross-reference tool and ready-stock snapshot
Last reviewed 11 Nov 2026.
Sources
Fetched 11 November 2026 unless stated.
- Trading Economics, Poland industrial production, September 2026, release dated 20 October 2026: https://tradingeconomics.com/poland/industrial-production
- Walsin MLCC application guide, January 2022: https://www.passivecomponent.com/wp-content/uploads/datasheet/MLCC_application_guide.pdf
- Walsin General Purpose MLCC datasheet: https://www.passivecomponent.com/wp-content/uploads/datasheet/WTC_MLCC_General_Purpose.pdf
- Walsin SH soft termination datasheet: https://www.passivecomponent.com/wp-content/uploads/datasheet/WTC_MLCC_Soft_term_SH.pdf
- Walsin SG soft termination datasheet: https://www.passivecomponent.com/wp-content/uploads/datasheet/WTC_MLCC_Soft_term_SG.pdf
- Walsin ST soft termination automotive datasheet: https://www.passivecomponent.com/wp-content/uploads/datasheet/WTC_MLCC_Soft_term_Auto_AECQ200_ST.pdf
- Walsin MT automotive approval sheet, August 2026, held as 11_Automotive_MT.pdf
- Walsin MLCC export 00_ALL_MLCC_parts_combined.xlsx and the Venatech stock list as at 23 September 2026, counted by us.
Frequently asked questions
What is a soft termination MLCC, and why use one in Poland’s electronics plants?
It is an MLCC with a conductive polymer layer in the termination that absorbs board bending. It suits boards that flex after soldering, for example at depanelling, screw-down and press-fit stations.
How much board flex does a Walsin soft termination MLCC pass?
Walsin’s SH and SG approval sheets bend-test at 5 mm held 5 seconds, and the AEC-Q200 ST sheet tests to AEC-Q200-005 at 5 mm held 60 seconds, with X7R capacitance change within ±12.5%. The General Purpose sheet tests at 1 mm.
How many Walsin soft termination MLCC are there?
We counted 1,671 part numbers: 1,488 SH, 118 ST and 65 SG, from 0402 to 2225. 30 SH parts were on our Hong Kong stock list as at 23 September 2026.
Is there a soft termination match for a 0603 100 nF 50 V X7R?
Yes. SH18B104K500 matches and was on our shelf as at 23 September 2026; SG18B104K500 and the AEC-Q200 ST18B104K500 are also listed.
Does soft termination change the footprint?
Not the case size, but Walsin lists a wider thickness band on these parts, for example 0.80 ±0.30 mm at 0603, so check placement settings.
Can Venatech cross my standard MLCC to soft termination?
Yes. VenaMatch filters for soft termination and returns Walsin candidates with every difference stated. Venatech is the authorised Walsin distributor in Hong Kong.