Author Archives: adamsmagnetic

1. Adams to Present New Standards for Permanent Magnets at Magnetics 2019

   January 4, 2021 3:26 pm Leave a Comment

   

   People purchasing magnets rely on standards to ensure the products they buy will work properly in their application. Uncertainties or variations in quality can result in product failure. Until now, magnet standards have been outdated, specific to only one region of the world or vague about the details of some popular magnetic materials. ASTM International has recently released four new permanent magnet standards; one each for Alnico, Hard Ferrite (Ceramic), Samarium Cobalt and Neodymium Iron Boron. These modern standards set clear performance levels and provide acceptance criteria that can prevent misunderstandings between magnet producers and users.

   Mike Devine, Senior Applications Engineer at Adams, will describe the current situation with magnet standards and explain the main features of the new ASTM International standards. New material naming conventions will be described using popular magnet grades. Non-magnetic properties including workmanship, finish and appearance will also be discussed.

   Please join us at Magnetics 2019 in Orlando, Fl where you can attend Mike’s discussion at 9:00 am Wednesday, January 23rd. More about Mike’s presentation can be found here:  https://magneticsconference.com/schedule/new-standards-for-permanent-magnets/

   For more information about the conference, please contact us or visit https://magneticsconference.com/.

2. Industrial Magnets Removed from List 3 Tariffs

   3:21 pm Leave a Comment

   Good News for Magnets!

   

   You may have heard that the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) had been considering a tariff of up to 25% on industrial magnets from China.  These tariffs would have affected many of our products, as China is the world’s primary source for rare earth elements and other minerals used to produce magnets.  However, yesterday when the final list of tariffs was published, it did not include industrial magnets amongst the $200 billion of Chinese goods subject to a 10% tariff effective Monday 9/24/18, and increasing to 25% on January 1, 2019.

   For more details about tariffs the USTR has implemented in response to China’s theft of American intellectual property and forced transfer of American technology, please read the official press release: https://ustr.gov/about-us/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2018/september/ustr-finalizes-tariffs-200. 

   Reuters also published an interesting commentary relating to the reprieve on magnets: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-china-minerals/u-s-gives-rare-earths-reprieve-in-revised-200-billion-china-tariff-list-idUSKCN1LY0QK.

   Adams appreciates our partnership with you and will keep you informed of any developments that could affect your product designs or supply chain.  If you have any questions, please let us know.

3. Adams helps set and maintain technical standards for magnet materials

   3:09 pm Leave a Comment

   Mike Devine, Senior Applications Engineer at Adams, serves on ASTM International’s A06 Committee on Magnetic Materials. Why is this important, and how does it help ensure our magnets are exceptional? Well…

   ASTM International creates worldwide technical standards that are used to certify materials and structures are safe for the public. If a customer orders material certified to an ASTM specification, they will be guaranteed a specific set of properties.

   

   Committee A06 oversees Magnetic Properties, creating specifications and test procedures for both soft and hard magnetic materials. A group of 50 people from around the world manages about 50 standards for Committee A06. Each standard is reviewed and voted on every five years to ensure it is still up to date and useful; otherwise it is deemed obsolete and withdrawn. The committee is made up of material manufacturers, magnet users and people with a general interest/experience with magnetics.

   Of relevance to Adams’ customers and products, there four are new standards for permanent magnets (links will take you to abstracts and scope definitions):

   • A1054 – Sintered Ferrite Permanent Magnets
   • A1070 – Cast and Sintered Alnico Magnets
   • A1101 – Neodymium Iron Boron Magnets
   • A1102 – Samarium Cobalt Magnets

   The new magnetic material standards define minimum acceptable magnetic properties and physical/cosmetic properties. Chemical composition and physical properties are described but not listed as requirements. Each standard is comprehensive and includes all currently available material grades.

   In addition to the materials specifications, test procedures define how to take specific magnetic measurements:

   • A773 – Test Method for Hysteresisgraph (Permeameter)
   • A977 – Test Method for Hysteresisgraph measurements on High Coercivity Permanent Magnets
   • A1017 – Test Method for Hygrothermal Corrosion on Permanent Magnets

   Currently, the Committee is developing standards for:

   • Bonded Magnet Materials
   • Test Methods for Helmholtz coils
   • Test Methods for Pull testing.

   Mike’s work with this committee (he currently serves as Secretary) ensures that Adams is kept up-to-date on all the best practices related to the magnet materials we provide our customers.

4. Costly Cobalt

   2:59 pm Leave a Comment

   by Mike Devine
   

   For a variety of reasons, one of the materials that goes into permanent magnets has been getting much more expensive lately. It is not one of the rare earth that made headlines a few years ago for price spikes. It isn’t even sourced from China.

   The material is Cobalt, a strong magnetic element that is primarily sourced from the Republic of Congo. Political instability has historically influenced the price of cobalt ore. In fact, it was price spikes and political instability in the late 1970s that spurred interest in developing a non-Cobalt permanent magnet: Neodymium-Iron-Boron.

   

   The price of Cobalt has jumped from US$270 per kilogram at the start of 2017 to US$676 per kilogram as of April 2018. Prices are expected to rise considerably for the near- to mid-term.

   The current situation involves two factors. The first is a new round of political instability due to corruption concerns. The second is new applications that use Cobalt. The most note-worthy application is lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles. Current battery technologies require cobalt as part of the cathode. Given the growing popularity of electric vehicles, demand for cobalt continues to increase. Near-term trends suggest demand will outstrip supply, thus increased prices.

   It’s unwise to predict what will happen to Cobalt pricing in the long-term. As is often the case, price spikes due to increased demand can spur innovation. The last time something like this happened, Neodymium-Iron-Boron was invented. There are initiatives to produce magnets with less cobalt as well as changes to battery construction that will use less cobalt. Time will tell, but it is likely to be a roller coaster ride in the short term.

   For more interesting reading about Cobalt, try https://techcrunch.com/2017/01/01/no-cobalt-no-tesla/ and https://www.cobaltinstitute.org/core-applications.html.

5. How did Mars lose its magnetism?

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   Mars is the only major planet in our solar system that doesn’t have a planet-wide magnetic field. Given the planet’s proximity and similarity to Earth, the lack of a protective magnetic field has ignited the curiosity of scientists. Now a scientist has come up with an interesting explanation.  Read more here: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/wate-may-have-killed-mars-magnetic-field.

6. How Much Weight Can a Magnet Hold & How to Measure Magnet Strength

   2:50 pm Leave a Comment

   

   As you read through our website, you’ll see a measurement called Pounds Pull listed for most items, but what does that really mean?

   Pounds pull (also called breakaway force or pull strength) is the force required to vertically detach a magnet from ferrous material. We measure it in pounds, using very specific conditions to create uniformity. If your application conditions are different, you will get different results.

    

   HERE’S HOW WE MEASURE POUNDS PULL:

   We use a 3/4” thick, completely flat, solid steel plate. It is larger than the magnet being tested, so the magnet makes complete contact with the plate. A pull force gauge measures the force required to pull the magnet vertically away from the steel plate.

    

   WHAT IF YOU’RE NOT USING THE MAGNET IN A VERTICAL APPLICATION?

   If you’re using a magnet in vertical placement, then shear force comes into play. While the magnetic force pulls the magnet horizontally towards the steel surface, gravity tries to pull the magnet down, and the friction between the magnet and the steel prevents it from sliding. Why don’t we publish shear strength numbers? We can’t because the friction coefficient varies dramatically depending on the two materials and any surface inconsistencies. Paint, rust, even fingerprints can make a difference!

    

   WHAT ABOUT GAPS, DISTANCES CREATED BETWEEN THE MAGNET AND THE STEEL?

   The distance between your magnet and the steel substrate to which it is trying to attract can make an almost unbelievable difference in pull strength. Although this distance is commonly called an air gap, anything that comes between the magnet material and its ferrous mate will cause a variance in strength, including paint, coatings, paper, even grease. Uneven surface areas cause gaps too, such as rust.

   SO WHAT’S THE BEST SOLUTION?

   Talk to us, get our recommendation, and then try it out! In most cases, we’ll send samples for prototypes at no charge.

7. New Catalog, Hot off the Press!

   2:38 pm Leave a Comment

   

   We are delighted to share our new catalog with you, hot off the press! What’s new in this edition? So many things! Here are just a few:

   1. Updated flexible magnet coverage: We’ve added updated information about our fabrication capabilities, available in Elmhurst and Carlsbad, CA. We’ve also added a MAGbond Magnetic Media System overview, and included our new high energy wide-format magnetic sheet (40” wide and still printable!).
   2. Low profile neo channel assemblies: At customers’ requests, we’ve added super-strong low profile assemblies to our mix. Check out examples on page 21, and be sure to ask us about hooks and fasteners if you need help making those connections.
   3. Countersunk neodymium ring magnets: Great for latches and closures, see our new countersunk neo on page 23.

   And there’s more! Our new 2018 catalog features an explanation of pounds pull, updated ISO certification and ITAR registration, and an updated support section full of useful facts and figures. There’s even a page for notes in the back where you can notate any custom projects.

   Request your copy today. Once you receive it, please let us know if you see anything that attracts you (pun intended!), or if you’d like to meet with us to discuss any current projects or ideas. If you don’t want to wait, you may download a PDF copy the catalog.

   You are welcome to visit us in Elmhurst or Carlsbad . We’re always delighted when our clients and business partners can see first-hand the quality of our manufacturing processes, and the commitment to excellence our team strives to achieve every day.

8. Toyota’s New Neo

   1:51 pm Leave a Comment

   (February, 2018) Kudos to Toyota for its development of the first Heat Resistant Neodymium Iron Boron magnets that:

   1) Avoids the use of expensive heavy rare earth elements such as Dysprosium and Terbium; and

   2) Substitutes less expensive Cerium and Lanthanum for Neodymium via an innovative process so there is minimal decrease in performance.

   The heavy rare earth elements such as Dysprosium and Terbium played a role in huge price spikes in the permanent magnet industry a few years ago. These elements are crucial to enable Neodymium Iron Boron magnets to operate at higher temperatures for automotive applications. Until now, all attempts at eliminating their use has been for naught.

   While it is likely that Toyota will only produce this material internally, we are impressed to see continued innovation in the permanent magnet material world.

   https://newsroom.toyota.eu/toyota-develops-new-magnet-for-electric-motors-aiming-to-reduce-use-of-critical-rare-earth-element-by-up-to-50/

9. Common Magnets Found In The Home | Adams Magnetic Products

   1:47 pm Leave a Comment

   Adams features two types of flexible magnetic materials in our magnet strip: Standard Energy and High Energy and they come in standard thicknesses. We are often asked how much holding power each material can produce so we created this table as a guide. It is based on ideal conditions and should only be used as a starting point when developing a project involving flexible magnetic materials. You can also find holding strength per linear foot in our catalog product charts. When in doubt, call us! We’ll get you the data you need.

   

10. Infographic: Don’t look now but… You’re surrounded by magnets

    12:53 pm Leave a Comment

    Usually, you won’t see them, but they’re there inside the devices you use every day. They get you to work and back home, keep you in touch with friends worldwide, and make your life easier in a thousand different ways.

    We’re talking about magnets, of course.

    Ask most people to list any magnets in their homes, and usually, their first response will be about the ones stuck to the refrigerator, holding up family photos, or their child’s report card (if it was a good one).  After that, they might be stuck for ideas.

    That’s why we’ve created this new infographic that identifies several of the hidden magnets in your home and their contribution to your day-to-day life.

    You may be surprised to discover how many appliances and electronic devices don’t rely only on the current that comes through your wall outlets. Electricity supplies the juice, but somewhere inside the motor, there is likely a magnet that also needs to do its job before you can wash your clothes, clean your rugs or pop some popcorn in the microwave.

    And those devices that need phone jacks and connectors? They need magnets too.

    Check out the infographic here. Then, next time you’re asked about any magnets in your house, you’ll have plenty to say!