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reviewed and voted on every five years to ensure it is still up to date and useful; otherwise it is deemed obsolete and withdrawn.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.
Tags: ASTM, magnet standards, technical standards for magnets
