[Edaily Reporter Kwon Oh-seok] #Hanul Semiconductor announced on the 18th that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Murata, the world’s leading manufacturer of multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs), to develop “mounting equipment for high-performance MLCC manufacturing processes” and has embarked on a strategic technology partnership. The company plans to simultaneously boost production efficiency and quality competitiveness in response to the surging demand for MLCCs used in AI servers and automotive electronics.

This MOU centers on technical cooperation regarding equipment to enhance productivity, precision, and quality stability in the MLCC manufacturing process. As demand for high-reliability MLCCs has been rising sharply—particularly in high-growth industries such as AI servers, large data centers, and electric vehicles—the need to advance the overall related process equipment is also growing.
The two companies will jointly review the feasibility of developing mounters specialized for high-performance MLCC manufacturing processes, along with target performance specifications and practical implementation plans for production lines. During this process, they will concurrently engage in technical discussions on optimizing equipment operating conditions, minimizing process variability, and stabilizing quality. They plan to proceed in phases, including initial evaluations, data sharing, sample provision, and on-site testing and review of evaluation results.
The scope of the collaboration includes enhancing automation levels, conducting process data-based analysis, and evaluating potential for equipment performance improvement. The companies explain that this collaboration is significant because it goes beyond simply supplying equipment; it broadens the scope of cooperation to jointly improve production efficiency, inspection reliability, and the utilization of process data in MLCC manufacturing processes. Based on future evaluation results and technical reviews, the two companies will also consider equipment supply and procurement, as well as the possibility of entering into a separate contract.
The company views this MOU with Murata as strategically significant, as it marks a stage for evaluating whether its proprietary high-speed, high-precision mounter technology and AI-based process analysis capabilities can be applied to the production lines of a global MLCC leader. It is also noteworthy that this represents an instance where the technological capabilities of a South Korean equipment manufacturer have been considered as a potential collaboration partner for a global top-tier company in the MLCC process equipment sector—an area where Japanese firms have traditionally held a strong position.
Hanul Semiconductor plans to continue improving the performance of its MLCC mounters and verifying their applicability to mass production processes, while simultaneously expanding the scope of cooperation to include total solutions covering the entire MLCC back-end process, such as defective chip sorters, transfer machines, and ultrasonic sorters and inspectors.
A company official stated, “With the expansion of the AI server and automotive electronics markets, high-performance MLCC production processes now require higher levels of precision, speed, and quality stability than ever before,” adding, “This MOU with Murata will serve as a crucial opportunity to validate and expand Hanul Semiconductor’s technological capabilities in mounters and AI-based process equipment in the global market.”