Permanent lifting magnets unlike electromagnets do not lose their magnetism. They are made from magnetized ferromagnetic materials such as iron, cobalt and nickel among others. Alloys such as rare earth metals as well as naturally occurring minerals such as lodestone can also be magnetized to make a permanent lifting magnet. These magnets are widely used across the globe and this is not only because of their functionality but also because of their low maintenance cost. Unlike electromagnets, they do not rely heaving on electrical power supply and can stay for very long before losing their magnetism. There are quite a number of permanent lifting magnets available in the market today and below are some of them.
Ceramic Magnets
These are made through sintering and pressing method. They basically consist of iron oxide and barium. If you are looking for a functional low cost lifting magnet, this could be a great choice for you. The affordability of ceramic magnets is probably one of the factors making it the most widely used lifting magnet today.
Samarium Cobalt Magnets
Unlike the ceramic magnets, samarium cobalt magnets are generally very expensive. Some factories however, especially those dealing with items that require high resistance to temperature and corrosion, have to use this type of magnets. Samarium cobalt magnets are made from rare earth metals and as such have very high magnetic strength. This type of permanent lifting magnet has excellent resistance to temperature.
Neodymium Iron Boron Magnets
These too are made from rare earth metals and have very high magnetic strength. Unlike the samarium cobalt however, Neodymium iron boron magnets are easily oxidized and their resistance to temperature is also much lower. These magnets have lower manufacturing costs and they can be molded into compact designs.
Injection Molded Magnets
These magnets are made of resin and magnetic powder through the process of injection molding. For factories desiring complex designed magnets, this might be the best option they will get. They are however low energy meaning that their magnetic strength is considerably lower than other types of permanent lifting magnets.
Alnico Magnets
These magnets are made of nickel, cobalt and aluminum. Small portions of other elements are also incorporated in the making of these magnets. They are produced by sintering and casting where castings ensure that they have superior energy and sintering gives them excellent mechanical characteristics. These magnets can easily be demagnetized but they have pretty strong resistance to demagnetization as a result of shock.
Flexible Magnets
As the name suggests, these magnets are very flexible but this depends on the material used in producing them. Their production is very similar to that of injection molded magnets except that these are made into flat strips and sometimes sheets. They have very low magnetic strength and therefore ensure to read the manufacturers’ manual to know exactly which type of loads can be lifted using these magnets.
Armed with this information on different types of permanent lifting magnets available in the market today, your magnet procurement process will certainly be much easier.