Method of manufacturing multilayer ceramic electronic component

摘要

A ceramic laminate, which is obtained by stacking ceramic green sheets provided with conductor films distributed on central portions along surface directions thereof, is charged in a die assembly. The die assembly includes an upper punch for pressing a first major surface of the ceramic laminate, a frame which encloses peripheries of the upper punch and the ceramic laminate, and a base plate for pressing a second major surface of the ceramic laminate in a manner opposite to the upper punch. In order to prevent the conductor films from undergoing misregistration toward peripheral edge portions of the ceramic laminate due to flowing of ceramic caused by a pressure difference between the portions provided with the conductor films and those not provided with conductor films, the upper punch is divided into an outer peripheral portion which comes into contact with the peripheral edge portions of the ceramic laminate and a body portion which comes into contact with its central portion. In a step of exerting pressure, the outer peripheral portion compresses the laminate to a higher degree than the body portion, so that a substantially homogeneous pressure is applied to the overall laminate.