The grade, or “N rating” of the magnet refers to the Maximum Energy Product of the material that the magnet is made from. It refers to the maximum strength that the material can be magnetized to. The grade of neodymium magnets is generally measured in units millions of Gauss Oersted (MGOe). A magnet of grade N42 has a Maximum Energy Product of 42 MGOe. Generally speaking, the higher the grade, the stronger the magnet.
Gaussmeters are used to measure the magnetic field density at the surface of the magnet. This is referred to as the surface field and is measured in Gauss (or Tesla). Pull Force Testers are used to test the holding force of a magnet that is in contact with a flat steel plate. Pull forces are measured in pounds (or kilograms).
Ferromagnetic materials are strongly attracted by a magnetic force. The elements iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), and cobalt (Co) are the most commonly available elements. Many types of steel are ferromagnetic because of the iron content. Steel is an alloy of iron, carbon and other elements.
There are several simple methods that can be used to identify the (Scientific) North and South poles of neodymium magnets. 1) The easiest way is to use another magnet that is already marked. The North pole of the marked magnet will be attracted to the South pole of the unmarked magnet. 2) If you take an […]
Modern permanent magnets are made of special alloys that have been found through research to create increasingly better magnets. The most common families of magnet materials today are ones made out of Aluminum-Nickel-Cobalt (Alnicos),Strontium-Iron (Ferrites, also known as Ceramics), Neodymium-Iron-Boron (Neo magnets, sometimes referred to as “super magnets”), and Samarium-Cobalt. (The Samarium-Cobalt and Neodymium-Iron-Boron families are collectively known as the Rare Earths.)