Rare Earth Magnets
Rare earth magnets are a type of magnet composed of alloys of rare earth elements, such as neodymium, iron and boron. They are among the strongest magnets available to consumers and are commonly used in a number of industries, including electronics, medical, automotive, military and renewable energy.
Rare earth magnets, like other types of permanent magnets, generate a magnetic field that is capable of pulling, pushing and sticking to metallic objects. This makes them ideal for tasks such as motor rotors, generator stators and wind turbine generator assemblies. Additionally, they are used in medical sensors and MRI scanners, magnetic separators, computer drives and hard drives, barcodes, and jewelry closures.
Rare earth magnets exhibit several benefits over other magnet types, such as higher coercivity and higher remanence. Coercivity is the ability of a magnet to resist demagnetization when exposed to changing magnetic fields. Higher coercivity makes a magnet more stable against external magnetic fields and makes them more resistant to loss of magnetism over time. Remanence is the ability of a magnet to retain its magnetic properties after the magnetizing force has been removed. In essence, this means that the magnet will remain magnetized even after the external source of magnetization has been removed.
These two properties make rare earth magnets a superior choice for a variety of industrial applications. They are also suppliers of an ever increasing range of consumer products. These include earbuds, toys and bicycles that feature magnets inside their design.
The production process of rare earth magnets involves going through several steps. First, rare earth elements are usually melted together in an induction furnace. After melting, small metal alloy pellets are formed. These pellets are then crushed and pulverized into a very fine powder. This powder is then compressed into “green” or raw magnets by a process called sintering. The sintering process is carried out in a vacuum to ensure uniformity.
Once the sintering process is completed, the magnets are then machined and polished to match the required shape and size. Finally, magnets are plated with nickel or zinc to achieve better corrosion resistance and to make the surface more conducive to painting.
Despite the many advantages of rare earth magnets, there are a few disadvantages. First, they are generally more expensive compared to other types of magnets. Second, they are also more brittle, which makes them more prone to cracking and breaking. Finally, they also tend to lose their magnetism over time, albeit at a much slower rate than other types of magnets.
Overall, rare earth magnets offer a number of benefits that make them a great choice for a wide range of industrial applications. They are highly powerful magnets capable of generating strong magnetic fields, are highly resistant to demagnetization, and last longer than other types of magnet. They may be slightly more expensive and a bit more brittle, but these factors should not prevent you from taking advantage of their many benefits.
