Maybe it isn't so anymore, but according to Centralab the ceramic
raw materials available in abundance in America were electrically
superior to those being used in Europe since the early 1900s when
German scientists first discovered the dielectric properties of
the material. Ceramic capacitors represented a major advance in
capacitor technology over liquid and paste dielectric types in most
areas of electrical and mechanical specifications such as vibration,
aging, vibration and shock, temperature, value stability, voltage
and current handling, etc. Centralab ran this advertisement spelling
out all the virtues of ceramic capacitors that had accumulated due
to their research efforts.
Philips Electronics' Components division bought Beyschlag and
Centralab and merged the two into 'BCcomponents,' whereupon in 2002 Vishay
bought them.
Know "Why" Ceramic Capacitors and You'll Buy Ceramic Capacitors

Here are the facts about Ceramic Capacitors - why they are the
most permanent capacitors ... why they do a better job ... give
a" better performance
Choose the exact capacitors you need from the world's widest
line of ceramic capacitors - for jobs that demand the best in guaranteed
TV-AM-FM servicing ...
Up until a few years ago, capacitor design was based on one idea
- "the bigger the better." Paper and mica, etc., were cheap, readily
available materials, and their use was the only known art for making
commercial capacitors (or "condensers" as they used to be called).
Now don't misunderstand us ... those old condensers were really
OK as far as they went. But today there's something more to talk
about ... Ceramic Capacitors.
Actually,
the idea of ceramic capacitors isn't new. They've been used as electronic
components for more than 20 years. We call them new because it's
only in the last few years that service-engineers have paid any
attention to them ... and because some of these modern ceramic capacitors
really are new ... with new higher voltages, new and better physical
characteristics. So if ceramic capacitors were overlooked by service-engineers
during the last few years ... we feel it's because you didn't know
about just how good they really are - or because what you needed
wasn't available.
Let's take a look at modern ceramic capacitors and the story
behind them. It was in the early 1900's when German scientists discovered
the dielectric properties of ceramic materials. In the U.S.A., we
had an abundant supply of mica and other materials, so U.S. research
men never bothered with ceramics. Then came World War I, and ceramics
became mighty important in European radio manufacture. Ceramics
were a long way from perfected but they did the job ... and continual
improvement made them increasingly important in the electronic field.
Meanwhile, at Centralab, we had started to investigate these new
materials. It was soon found that U.S.A. had a bigger source of
raw ceramic materials and that our stocks were of vastly superior
physical and electrical characteristics.
Then
one of our foreign representatives supplied us with a complete set
of foreign-made ceramic components. Result - Centra lab developed
a ceramic research program. The program was big and thorough ...
and it's still going on.
In a few years, Centralab put on the market its first ceramic
capacitors. With World War II, came tremendous developments in electronics.
Radio, radar and other electronic equipment demanded the finest
in component parts ... and ceramic capacitors came into their own.
In fact, independent research has shown that during World War II,
in some classes of military equipment, there was not a single known
instance of a failure of a ceramic capacitor!
Thus, through the lessons learned over a period of 20 years of
intensive research - Centralab Ceramic Capacitors have today become
the best capacitor buy for safe guaranteed servicing. For when you
use CRL ceramic capacitors, you're using the benefits of hundreds
of thousands of man-hours of research-experiments with over 20,000
different ceramic compounds!
That's why any ceramic isn't the best ceramic for the job. Each
of those 20,000 ceramic mixes had definite physical and electrical
characteristics ... and when we say that Centralab today uses only
250 of those 20,000 tested compounds, you can be sure that those
discarded did not perform to the exacting requirements of sensitive
electronic circuits.
Yes,
and if you compare the old-style paper and mica capacitors with
modern ceramic capacitors ... point for point, based on your own
technical experience, you'll see why ceramics are vastly better
... the safe, dependable way to assure a good service job.
For example, every serviceman is aware of the moisture absorbing
quality of paper condensers ... and how moisture can seep in along
the leads on mica units. Compare these old designs with modern ceramic
tubular and disc types ... Centralab's Ceramic-X capacitor bodies
are nonhygroscopic ... moisture absorption being only 0.007% or
less! That fact alone means Centralab Capacitors give you and your
service customer the ultimate in reliability - even under severe
tropically humid conditions.
Old-timers in the service field ... yes, and young ones, too,
will recall the bulky size ... the difficulty of handling old-fashioned
large size capacitors ... when size seemed to be an important factor
in design. Now, look at modern ceramic capacitors. They're less
than 1/7 the size ... you can fit them anywhere!
When you look at this chart of the development of capacitors
using various materials ... the tremendous improvement of the dielectric
constant "K" with the entry of ceramics into the field is dramatically
evident.
One of the most serious problems with old-time capacitors was
that they broke down under high temperatures. Here again, ceramics
have more than proven their superiority. 85° C. will not harm
the modern ceramic capacitor. In fact, the ceramic body itself can
easily withstand any temperature encountered in electrical apparatus.
High capacity is well maintained under wide temperature variation.
What's more, the copper-silver electrodes are electro-bonded to
the ceramic with a tensile strength of 30,000 lbs. per square inch
- thus preventing any possible change of the relative position of
the electrodes.

A typical example of the high degree of perfection and performance
offered by ceramic capacitors is contained in CRL Hi-Vo-Kaps, These
units are rated at 10-20 and 30 KV and are intended exclusively
for TV. You'll find that practically the entire TV industry has
standardized on these CRL units as original equipment for this most
exacting application.
When it comes to low power factors - check ceramics against all
others. With ceramics, initially it's 0.1 % to 0.6%. After 100 hours
at 95% humidity, it's 0.5% to 3% and they'll return to normal! That's
ceramic high efficiency! If it's accuracy you want, ceramic capacitors
can give you unusually close tolerances in wide range of values.
In
r.f. circuits, where drift is critical, one of the likely causes
is temperature change. Stabilization can be effected by capacitors
which compensate for temperature variations. Centralab pioneered
ceramic capacitors for this purpose. This important research resulted
in Centralab's famous TC-Hi-Kaps Zero Temperature and Negative Temperature
Compensating units. These are a Centralab exclusive "First". For
service-engineers they are the industry's last word in accurate
stabilizing capacitors.
Service-engineers today are called upon for more exacting work
- more downright customer satisfaction. Every job that comes into
you shop is a challenge to your reputation. Regardless of the care
in workmanship. no service job is better than the components you
put into it. To stay in business tomorrow - you can't take chances
today.
Field research shows that smart service-engineers everywhere are
replacing all old-fashioned or dangerously old capacitors with ceramic
capacitors, within the capacity ranges available. Particularly if
there is any indication of possible failure within a reasonably
short period. For by-pass and coupling applications ... they're
using Centra lab BC Hi-Kaps. For tuning applications, they're using
temperature compensating TC Hi-Kaps. It's their own assurance of
a good job well done ... and their customer's insurance of complete
satisfaction. What's more, to the serviceman and customer alike
... there's little or no premium in price.
You'll find Centralab ceramic capacitors are available in a wide
variety of capacities from any recognized better radio parts distributor.
Ask him. And remember, Centralab is the pioneer in the field of
electronic ceramics. That fact alone is your best assurance of engineering
know-how, production know-how, and performance know-how that permits
no compromise with quality.

Ceramic Disc H-Kap Capacitors
- provide very high capacity in extremely small size, with minimum
thickness. For by-pass, coupling and general applications. Superior
power factor and low inductance.

TC Temperature Compensating Ceramic Capacitors
- stable units that do not change in capacity under wide temperature
variations - or may be selected to correct for frequency drift in
resonant circuits caused by temperature changes. Also superior replacement
for close tolerance micas.

Television High Voltage Capacitors
- are the accepted standard for the TV industry. Used for filter
and by-pass in TV high voltage power supply and pulse filter for
cathode ray tubes. Ask for Centralab Hi-Vo-kaps.

Ceramic BC Tubular Hi-Kap Capacitors
- for by-pass or coupling applications and most general circuit
work. Smallest size on the market. Remarkable stability under high
temperatures or humidity.

Capacitor Kits - several are
available. Illustrated is assortment of 200 units of most generally
used values, supplied in a four-drawer metal cabinet. Often assures
required values will be on hand when needed in labs or for service.
No charge for cabinet.

Transmitting and High Accuracy Ceramic
Capacitors - for applications involving rigid frequency
control. Used for holding oscillator frequencies to close limits.
Excellent as secondary Standards.
Yes, for the safest, quickest guaranteed servicing ... standardize
on Centralab Ceramic capacitors. You'll have the world's widest
line to select from - as made by Centralab, America's pioneer builder
of ceramic capacitors. You can get complete information on all the
capacitors described here - plus other valuable service information
from Centralab's Catalog 27 ... available at your distributor's.
CentralabDivision of Globe-Union Inc.
910 E. Keefe Avenue Milwaukee 1, Wis.
Posted December 7, 2015
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