As an essential basic device in the electronic circuit, capacitor plays a very important role in the electronic component industry. It is one of the three passive electronic components (the other two are resistors and inductors). With the development of automotive electronics, the Internet of Things, industrial electronics, etc., the capacitor industry has ushered in a rapid growth opportunity. Many industry giants around the world have increased investment, among which aluminum electrolytic capacitors and film capacitors have become the main research objects. As a leading capacitor manufacturer in the world, Nikikon was founded in 1950. It is one of the three largest capacitor manufacturers in Japan and has always been in the forefront of the world in the field of capacitor technology.
Nichikang’s products include aluminum electrolytic capacitors, conductive polymer aluminum solid electrolytic capacitors, conductive polymer mixed aluminum electrolytic capacitors, film capacitors, electrical double-layer capacitors, positive temperature coefficient thermistors, small lithium-ion secondary batteries, etc. Its products are widely used in automotive electronics, frequency converters, numerical control servo, communication equipment, digital home appliances and other industries. At the Shenzhen International Electronics Exhibition held in December this year, Nikikon fully demonstrated its advanced capacitor technology. After 25000 times of charging and discharging cycles at 10C frequency, the small lithium-ion secondary battery developed by Nikikon still ensures at least 80% of the high capacity, which can not be achieved without Nikikon’s deep capacitor technology. Why can Nikikon keep innovating and achieve remarkable results? On December 20, the editor of OFweek Electronic Engineering Network exchanged and discussed relevant issues with Li Siqi of the business strategy office of Nikikon Corporation and Chen Jun, the manager of the sales department of Nikikon Electronic Trade (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.
(Left: Chen Jun, Manager of Sales Department of Nichikang Electronic Trade (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., right: Li Siqi, Business Strategy Office of Nichikang Co., Ltd.)
The reason why Nijikang keeps ahead in the capacitor industry
As a world-famous capacitor enterprise, Nikikon has a history of nearly 70 years, and is also one of the manufacturers with the longest history in the capacitor industry. The achievements of Nikikon are obvious to all. Li Siqi, the business strategy office of Nikikon Corporation, said that Nikikon has always followed the market trend and tried to provide customers with the products they need most. According to statistics, in terms of aluminum electrolytic capacitor products, Nikikon was the manufacturer that provided the most types of products to the industry in 2017.
It is understood that Nikikon has always ranked the top three in the aluminum electrolytic capacitor market in the world. In the field of power storage and EV, Nikikon’s V2H system, home power storage system and EV fast charging pile also have a good response in the Japanese market. Nikikon has achieved such achievements because of their consistent production system from basic research and development of raw materials to product design. “The consistent production system can not only guarantee the uniqueness of technology, but also help to control the quality and original price. By rapidly transforming the market demand into the research and development of basic materials, Nichikang’s capacitor technology has always maintained the global leadership.” Li Siqi, the business strategy office of Nichikang, told the editor of OFweek Electronic Engineering Network.
This “consistent production system” of Nikikon can not only enable customers to develop products more quickly, meet new market demands and maintain product competitiveness; At the same time, it can also make the production department and research and development department more closely contact, shorten the product launch cycle, and realize the early productization of new technologies.
In response to the new market demand, Nichikang actively responded
(Nikikon participated in Shenzhen International Electronics Exhibition)
China’s capacitor industry has just started in the 1980s, and its expansion can not be separated from the support of these capacitor industry enterprises. Over the years, their products have been widely used in automobile, industry, communication, consumer electronics, medical and other fields. Capacitors have become an important industry for China’s economic growth. According to relevant statistics, from 2012 to 2017, the global capacitor market scale expanded from 17.3 billion US dollars to 20.9 billion US dollars, while China’s capacitor market scale increased from 72.6 billion yuan to 98.7 billion yuan during this period, higher than the world average.
The support of Chinese enterprises is indispensable for Nikikon to continuously increase its market share in the field of capacitors. At the same time, the Chinese market also brings many challenges and inspiration to Nikikon’s technological development. Li Siqi of the Business Strategy Office of Nikikon Corporation believes that the demand for aluminum electrolytic capacitors and thin film capacitors in solar power generation, wind power generation and other fields is expanding both in Japan and overseas, and the market prospect is worth looking forward to. Nikikon has also been committed to product research and development in related fields.
At present, Nichikang can provide customers with aluminum electrolytic capacitor, conductive polymer aluminum solid electrolytic capacitor, conductive polymer mixed aluminum electrolytic capacitor, film capacitor and electrical double-layer (EDLC) capacitor products, among which aluminum electrolytic capacitor has the longest history and the most widely used, and it can be used in automobile, home appliance, frequency converter, information communication, medical and other fields. Aluminum electrolytic capacitors have obvious advantages in consumer electronics, automotive electronics, industrial electronics and other fields. At the same time, with the promotion of rapid charging technology, the demand for capacitors has increased, and Nikkeon is also actively arranging relevant fields. Li Siqi, the business strategy office of Nikikon Corporation, said that with the development of China’s automobile industry, the demand for aluminum electrolytic capacitors and thin film capacitors by automobile electrical assembly enterprises is expanding, so Nikikon is trying to increase its investment in relevant fields; In addition, the demand of industrial frequency converters for large aluminum electrolytic capacitors is increasing day by day, which is also an opportunity for Nikikon; With the development of the Internet of Things, and facing the Internet of Things wireless terminal market, Nikikon will launch a small, high output and input density, safe and small lithium-ion secondary battery.
“Unique” small lithium-ion secondary battery
With the new requirements of the market for battery power and charging rate, enterprises are facing two major R&D directions, one is to pursue large capacity, and the other is to pursue instantaneous large output power. At this exhibition, the “SLB series” small lithium-ion secondary battery exhibited by Nikikon attracted much attention. It can realize high frequency charging and discharging, which can charge about 80% in 3 minutes and discharge 90% in 3 minutes. Where is the innovation of this product and how to solve customers’ problems? In this regard, Li Siqi mentioned that this product is different from ordinary lithium-ion secondary batteries. It uses special materials such as lithium titanate LTO instead of ordinary carbon materials. Because it uses a special negative electrode, it can achieve high power output and input as well as fast charging and discharging. In the past, LIB can only be charged at a current of 1C, and it takes one hour to fully charge. This new product can achieve a fast charge and discharge of up to 20C in three minutes, which is very suitable for wireless headphones and electronic cigarettes and other products.
“This product’s charge-discharge cycle life is a qualitative leap over the previous several thousand cycles of batteries. It still maintains more than 80% capacity after 25000 cycles of charge-discharge. It is very suitable for IoT sensors that need to transmit data frequently. This battery can also be used in an extremely low temperature environment of – 30 degrees, which can meet the medium scenarios of outdoor and frozen storage in winter. Because LTO is extremely safe, it will not fire or explode, and is very suitable for Wearing terminals and electric toys. ” Li Siqi, the business strategy office of Nikkeon Corporation, told the editor of OFweek Electronic Engineering Network.
Constantly expand the application field with high-quality capacitor products
With the continuous development of the capacitor industry, it also faces many new challenges, such as rising labor costs and rising raw material prices. The development of capacitors cannot be separated from the efforts of various electronic fields, and materials are one of the key technologies. Li Siqi, the business strategy office of Nikkeon Corporation, said that in recent years, due to the miniaturization of equipment and the electromechanical integration in the automotive field, the capacitor has higher requirements for heat resistance and high capacitance. In the field of information communication and new energy, there are low ESR, high reliability and long life requirements for capacitors. The new market requires capacitor manufacturers to have a higher technical level and a more efficient R&D cycle. For this reason, Nikikon has formulated a detailed development plan, from basic materials to product-based technology, especially the electrode foil that plays a decisive role in capacitor capacity. Nikikon is constantly improving corrosion technology and formation technology, so that it can save power costs while having large capacity.
As the largest capacitor manufacturing country in the world, China is bound to become the first place for giants to layout. In order to achieve more efficient integration of production and sales, Nichikang has set up an all-inclusive sales department in China. This department will timely report the situation in China to the manufacturing plant, and at the same time formulate future strategies with the capacitor business headquarters of the Japanese head office. With the expansion of the Internet of Things market, the electronic components in the future will gradually develop in the direction of new chip, miniaturization, integration and high reliability. Li Siqi, the business strategy office of Nikikon Corporation, said that in the future, Nikikon will continue to launch higher technology products in the fields of automobile, household appliance inverter, industrial equipment, information communication and renewable energy power generation.