What’s the most powerful magnet?

During this article we would like to tell you which are the most powerful magnets available on the market today. Before that, however, it seems essential to us to make it clear that the magnet is a material that has the capacity to attract iron and steel, mainly, to its orbit. This happens from the attraction that their opposite poles suffer.

In IMA you will find Neodymium magnets, but also Samarium magnets, which are known as rare earth magnets and are the most modern generation of magnetic materials. They have properties far above the traditional ones and are currently the most powerful magnets on the market. Its high coercitivity, as well as its remanence, make possible new possibilities and novel designs to be used in reduced spaces or where a higher magnetic field is needed.

The temperature is what conditions the use of these magnets. For example, Neodymium can be used with temperatures from 80ºC to 200ºC. Samarians from 200ºC to 350ºC. Both can be used at temperatures below 0ºC.

Neodymium and magnetic resonances.

The American company General Motors and the Japanese Sumimoto Metal put the first Neodymium (Nd2Fe14B) magnet in operation for everyday use in 1982. These magnets soon found space in our technology industry in devices such as speakers or hard drives.

However, there are other environments, where we can find much more powerful magnets in our day to day, such as medical devices where resonances are performed. This type of medical equipment uses a strong magnetic field for its operation. Closed resonance devices are large Neodymium magnets. On the other hand, the open ones are strong magnetic fields that have a coil to conduct all this. For all these reasons it is important not to approach these devices with metallic objects.

We must bear in mind that the Earth has a magnetic field of about 5×10-5 Teslas. The one of an open magnetic resonance apparatus between up to 0,5 t closed can reach up to 5 Teslas.

The world’s most powerful magnet is 44.14 Teslas.

Far from its daily use we can find great magnets with scientific purpose. The world’s most powerful magnet was built in the United States in 2011 in a University Center in Florida. This super magnet has a magnetic field of 44.14 Teslas, and we can say that it is 900 thousand times that of the earth and more than 9 times that of a closed resonance equipment that we find in a hospital. In order for us to see its power we can indicate that more than ten thousand liters of water are necessary to cool the nucleus again. The use of this powerful magnet will allow an improvement of materials with which to produce products such as semiconductors or solar cells.

It is true that after making this the most powerful magnet that exists today, leaving behind the 38 Tesla of a Chinese laboratory, we must continue to say that today there are magnets with more power, but we must warn that they are hybrids and not resistive. As we know, hybrid magnets can only maintain the maximum power that is less than one second, while resistive magnets will do so for as long as we need.

Research with this powerful magnet will allow science to advance in the study and use of materials that will gradually become part of our daily lives and in which, possibly, we are not aware now.

Is it possible to cut ferrite magnets without losing magnetism?

We can cut ferrite magnets without losing the magnetism

Is it possible to cut ferrite magnets without losing magnetism? The use of magnets is very wide, with many and varied applications, however, questions arise such as that at the beginning of this article, either for an important reason, or just curiosity.

Cutting, drilling or welding activities can give rise to the wish to cut ferrite magnets. While this is possible under ideal circumstances, it is extremely difficult to perform correctly. If one is not careful, a powerful magnet will rapidly implode, or lose its magnetic field. That is why, generally, it is better to acquire a personalized magnet instead of modifying a production magnet yourself.

However, ferrite magnets can be modified. Drilling into ferrite magnets is possible, but care must be taken; ferrite is fragile, so sudden hits to the magnet and improper handling can cause it to break quickly.

Yes, it is possible to cut ferrite magnets

As mentioned, it is often unadvisable to cut ferrite magnets, because the possibility of losing magnetism is high. In fact, both the neodymium and ferrite magnets are worked, cut or drilled before their magnetization. If ferrite and neodymium magnets must be drilled or cut, suitable diamond tools should be used, as well as having a system that allows us to cool with water every so often.

Cutting is carried out in this way because ferrite is a brittle material, so it is not advisable to work on them with common tools such as the drill, as it can overheat and generate a large amount of dust that is highly flammable. In fact, doing this, tends to demagnetize magnets.

How to cut ferrite magnets without losing the magnetism?

• First of all, use work gloves to avoid getting in contact with the splinters, which are often dangerous and very painful when in contact with the skin.

• You must mark the line of cut on the magnet so as not to deviate from the desired cut.

• Use a protective mask for the nose and mouth, because the cutting of magnets produces dust that remains in the air.

• Fasten the magnet with a screw, to prevent it from moving and favor the conservation of its magnetic properties. Excessive vibrations give rise to a loss of magnetic electrons from the magnet, diminishing or losing its magnetic properties. By controlling vibration you avoid loss of magnetization.

You can cut the magnet with a saw, following the line of cut, but you can also use a diamond-plated cutter in a lathe and, once placed, press it in place. Next, start the device. While the lathe turns, place it on the mark you made on the magnet, pressing as you do so. Try not to put too much pressure on the lathe or you can bend the cutter.

You can also use a chisel on the line of cut that you have made on the magnet. Holding it with one hand and using a hammer you hit the top of the chisel. This can break the magnet in two if the cut fails. But remember that this will be your last option, since it has the greatest possibility of damaging the magnetic properties of the magnet, as we have indicated before. You can reduce or lose them in the process of cutting or drilling.

But, even if this technique is followed well, it is better that all modifications are made by someone with experience in modifying magnets, since this person will understand all the precautions that must be taken to succeed. Your best bet is to have a professional make custom modifications instead of experimenting yourself.