About Sintered Neodymium

Driven by the high cost of samarium cobalt magnets, the Nd2Fe14B Compound was first discovered in 1982. Neodymium magnets are the strongest type of permanent magnet commercially available. Alpha Magnet sells only patent licensed sintered neodymium magnets. Neodymium has excellent characteristics: it has very high remanence and coercivity. It is possible to manufacture in a variety of shapes including radial oriented magnets. Previously for higher temperatures, only samarium cobalt was able to meet certain requirements. With the development of modern neodymium grades, some grades are able to exceed acceptable samarium cobalt temperatures. However, for most high temperature applications, samarium cobalt is still used based on a lower cost. Neodymium is one of the most widely used magnets today because of its versatility, strong magnetic capability, and small relative size.

Process

A powder metallurgical process is used to create sintered neodymium magnets. As is true of other magnets, it should not be used as a structural component. Neodymium is prone to corrosion, requiring an outer coating or plating. Typically, a nickel-copper-nickel or epoxy coating is used. Other coatings are available if required. Also, as the sintered neodymium is being manufactured in a vacuum, any air particles will allow the magnet to corrode from the inside out. Within 2-3 years, the poor quality will become apparent to the customer, ruining the final product. All Alpha Magnet products are held to a rigid quality standards. Patented processes are used to produce high quality magnets which are built to last.

Temperature Characteristics

Neodymium magnets typically have a higher temperature coefficient than other rare earth magnets. When the magnet is exposed to a higher temperature, it may lose all or part of its magnetic performance. Depending on the temperature, magnet loss can be reversible. The recommended max operating temperature, residual induction(Br), and the intrinsic coercive force(Hci) should be considered when determining which magnet to use for your application. Contact your Alpha Magnet representative to find out the correct magnet for your application.

Applications include electronic, industrial, automotive, aerospace, as well as wind power solutions.

Precision Forming Process

The traditional forming method starts with large blocks of material to be cut into smaller blocks. In our proprietary process, the material is formed into an arc shape similar to the final product—thus reducing waste and cost for arc-shaped magnets. These savings we pass onto you, the customer. The three unique steps in our new process are highlighted below: