Magnet production

In this post you will learn all the steps necessary to produce magnets. This shows what exactly is necessary for this and why the production must take place in a magnet factory.
It is not possible to make magnets yourself at home, but you can certainly create magnetic effects. For example, when you create a magnetic field with an iron nail and iron magnet.

The magnet production can be done in different ways. Powder metallurgy is very common.

This is how the production of a magnet works

What is necessary for magnet manufacturers are certain raw materials and the technical equipment, in the form of machines.

 Did you know that?

 The raw materials mentioned are also called magnetic materials.
 Due to their magnetic properties, it is possible to use them to produce magnets. These are, for example: iron with aluminum as well as cobalt and nickel. Iron with neodymium  and boron are suitable for stronger adhesive force.

 Magnetic materials are divided into two categories.

 1. Soft magnetic: easy magnetizability.

 2. Hard magnetic: Permanent magnets.

Process steps for manufacturing a magnet

1. The form of the materials must first be changed. That is, from their hardened form, they must be converted into magnetic powder.
2. All these powders are then mixed and compacted in a machine.
3. To achieve the desired magnetism, all particles in the powder are arranged in such a way that they point in one direction in the finished magnet.
4. The powder parts that were previously pressed or punched are then burned in a special furnace at a specific melting temperature.
5. The final step is grinding and polishing.

This is how the magnetization of a magnet works

After the first step, a magnet is almost ready to be a magnet, but it still has no adhesion. To do this, it must first be placed under a large magnet so that all magnetic particles orient themselves in one direction = magnetism.

A quick excursion into physics explains how exactly magnetism works:

✓ Every substance consists of an atom, which in turn has an atomic nucleus around which electrons revolve.

✓ The movement of the electrons creates a magnetic field.

✓ A substance only becomes magnetic when several such magnetic fields are oriented in one direction and form a larger magnetic circuit (= elementary magnet).

✓ This means that the alloy (= the mixture of different magnetic materials) must first be magnetized.

✓ The elementary magnets in a substance are made to orient themselves in the same direction and align themselves with an external magnetic field.

✓ Only then does the material become a magnet.

This is how a neodymium magnet is produced

Like the usual magnet production, the production process of a neodymium magnet consists of several steps:

1. The raw materials are melted in a special furnace.

2. The molten mixture is poured into a mold to harden.

3. The hardened metal is pulverized and then pressed or or punched.

4. The compacts are sintered in a vacuum sintering furnace.
(Sintering = substances change when they are heated. This sometimes happens under increased pressure, so that the shape is retained, but properties such as hardness etc. change).

5. Sintered magnets are given their final shape by grinding and cutting - a coating may also be applied.

6. It is now possible to charge the magnet.

7. It may be necessary to rework - that is, a calibration must be carried out. This is a special process that also takes place in an oven.

Special feature in the manufacture of electromagnets

As the name suggests, electromagnets require electrical power.

A coil is attached to an electromagnet in which a magnetic field is created by means of an electric current.
The flux density is highest in the center of the coil. Their magnetic flux density decreases with distance.


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