What this review covers
- Requirement review for discrete permanent magnets and magnet sets
- Material, geometry, magnetization, coating, and tolerance direction
- Drawing, sample, packaging, and acceptance-plan preparation
Magnetic material and geometry review
Custom Permanent Magnets
This path is for OEM teams that need a permanent magnet defined around an operating requirement rather than a catalog grade alone. Begin with the magnetic objective, working gap, available envelope, temperature, environment, mating parts, and acceptance method; material and coating can remain open until those constraints are reviewed.
Best starting point
Design engineers and procurement teams defining a magnet by field, force, sensing, coupling, packaging, or replacement requirements.
Representative visualRepresentative category visual; geometry, material, coating, and magnetization are confirmed for each project.
Photo by Suradnik50, resized and cropped from the original. Source · CC BY-SA 3.0
Capability-domain role
Permanent magnets define the field source used across sensing, holding, electromagnetic conversion, motors, and integrated magnetic assemblies. Exact architecture, manufacturing route, validation evidence, and supply commitment remain project-specific.
What is not pre-confirmed
- Unverified grade availability or guaranteed magnetic performance before review
- A universal coating or material recommendation without environment data
- Published certification, capacity, or lead-time claims without project evidence
Available direction
Application routes
Use these routes to describe the function. Final architecture and component choices follow the operating conditions and interfaces.
Sensing and encoding
When pole pattern, air gap, sensor position, and field consistency drive the design.
Holding and positioning
When usable holding force depends on the complete magnetic circuit, contact condition, and safety factor.
Motors, couplings, and generators
When geometry, magnetization, retention, balance, temperature, and demagnetization margin interact.
Compact instruments and mechanisms
When a limited envelope, close tolerances, cleanliness, and assembly handling matter.
Confirm for your project
Engineering inputs that shape the decision
Items marked required are needed to close the basic requirement. Optional choices may remain open for the review.
Magnetic objective
Required inputState the required field, force, torque contribution, sensor response, or reference part and the measurement location.
Why it matters: The objective defines what must be modeled or measured; a grade name alone does not.
Geometry and working gap
Required inputProvide 2D/3D geometry, available envelope, pole faces, air gap, mating steel, and orientation constraints.
Why it matters: Circuit geometry and gap can dominate the useful field or force.
Material direction
May remain openShare any required NdFeB, SmCo, ferrite, or AlNiCo direction—or mark material as not defined.
Why it matters: Material selection trades magnetic output, temperature behavior, corrosion risk, size, and cost.
Temperature
Required inputGive continuous, peak, storage, and thermal-cycle conditions near the magnet.
Why it matters: Temperature affects reversible output and irreversible demagnetization risk.
Environment
Required inputIdentify moisture, salt, chemicals, vacuum, cleanliness, radiation, or outdoor exposure.
Why it matters: The operating environment determines corrosion protection and material suitability.
Coating or protection
May remain openState coating restrictions, appearance needs, adhesion interfaces, edge protection, or mark open for review.
Why it matters: Protection must be compatible with handling, bonding, temperature, and the real exposure.
Dimensions and tolerances
Required inputIdentify critical-to-function dimensions, datums, flatness, parallelism, and acceptable inspection methods.
Why it matters: Brittle magnetic materials need realistic tolerances tied to function and inspection.
Magnetization
Required inputDefine direction, pole count or pattern, magnetized/unmagnetized delivery, and handling constraints.
Why it matters: Magnetization affects tooling, measurement, assembly safety, and packaging.
Available direction
Options to compare—not catalog promises
These are review directions. Availability, process route, evidence, and commercial terms remain project-specific.
Material direction
NdFeB
Evaluate where compact magnetic output is important and temperature/corrosion controls can be defined.
SmCo
Evaluate for elevated temperature or corrosion-sensitive programs where its trade-offs are acceptable.
Ferrite
Evaluate where corrosion resistance and cost matter more than maximum energy density.
AlNiCo
Evaluate for specific temperature, stability, or geometry requirements with demagnetization behavior considered.
Construction and protection
Sintered or bonded route
Choose only after geometry, output, tolerance, volume, and tooling assumptions are compared.
Metallic, polymer, or conversion coating
Match protection to the substrate, exposure, bonding process, thickness, and damage risk.
Mechanical encapsulation
Consider when impact, corrosion, retention, or cleaning demands exceed a coating-only approach.
Confirm for your project
Evaluation matrix
Compare candidate directions using application conditions and request evidence tied to a defined revision and test method.
| Criterion | What to compare | Evidence to request |
|---|---|---|
| Useful magnetic output | Field or force at the real working gap and temperature, not only remanence on a datasheet. | Agreed measurement fixture, position, orientation, tolerance, and sample report. |
| Demagnetization margin | Worst-case temperature, opposing field, circuit state, and assembly process. | Design review or simulation assumptions plus an agreed thermal/magnetic validation. |
| Environmental durability | Base material, coating system, edge condition, handling, and exposure sequence. | Coating specification and project-specific corrosion or environmental test plan. |
| Geometry and inspection | Functional datums and tolerances against feasible grinding, coating, and measurement methods. | Approved drawing, gauge/inspection method, and dimensional sample record. |
Confirm for your project
Validation path
A useful result records the conditions, revision, method, output, deviations, and acceptance decision.
- Stage 1
Requirement closure
Confirm the magnetic objective, circuit geometry, environmental limits, and measurement definition.
Review output: Reviewed requirement brief with open assumptions.
- Stage 2
Sample verification
Measure critical dimensions and the agreed magnetic characteristic on representative samples.
Review output: Dimensional and magnetic sample results tied to revision.
- Stage 3
Application validation
Test in the intended air gap, mating circuit, temperature range, and assembly condition.
Review output: Buyer-approved application acceptance record.
- Stage 4
Repeat-order control
Freeze drawing, material/protection requirement, magnetization, inspection, labeling, and packaging expectations.
Review output: Revision-controlled order and quality requirements.
Confirm for your project
Risk and control matrix
| Risk | Consequence | Control |
|---|---|---|
| Choosing by grade name only | The part can miss application field or force because gap and circuit geometry were ignored. | Define the measurement point and validate the complete magnetic circuit. |
| Edge or coating damage | Corrosion or contamination can develop after handling or assembly. | Review edge geometry, handling, packaging, coating thickness, and incoming inspection. |
| Thermal demagnetization | Magnetic output may not recover after the worst operating event. | Review the load line and validate at maximum temperature and opposing field. |
| Unsafe magnetized handling | Parts can chip, attract debris, pinch operators, or damage adjacent components. | Agree magnetization state, spacers, shielding, labeling, and packing method before shipment. |
RFQ checklist
- 1Application and magnetic objective with measurement point
- 22D/3D drawing, available envelope, working gap, and mating materials
- 3Material preference or permission to recommend a direction
- 4Continuous/peak temperature and environmental exposure
- 5Coating, bonding, cleanliness, and handling requirements
- 6Critical dimensions, tolerances, and inspection expectations
- 7Magnetization direction/pattern and delivery state
- 8Sample quantity, estimated demand, destination, timing, and required documentation
Buyer FAQ
Can I request a magnet without choosing a grade first?
Yes. Provide the operating requirement, space, gap, temperature, environment, mating circuit, and acceptance method. Grade and protection can remain engineering decisions until those constraints are compared.
Can Magatom quote from a reference sample?
A reference sample can help start the review, but a controllable order still needs agreed dimensions, magnetic acceptance criteria, material/protection direction, magnetization, and revision ownership.
How should holding force be specified?
State the mating material, contact area and finish, air gap or coating, pull direction, temperature, test method, and required safety factor. A nominal pull-force number without those conditions is not comparable.
Are all listed materials and coatings always available?
No. They are evaluation directions. Final feasibility, supplier route, documentation, tooling, quantity, and timing are confirmed for the reviewed project.
Continue the decision
Compare magnetic assembliesMove from a loose magnet to a retained, protected, or mechanically integrated magnetic circuit.Route a holding or sensing problemStart from the application problem when the component architecture is not fixed.Review the OEM workflowUnderstand how requirements, samples, validation, revisions, and supply handoff are reviewed.Start an engineering reviewSend the requirement and unresolved decisions for a first review.
Turn the magnetic objective into a reviewable magnet brief
Share the application, working gap, geometry, temperature, environment, magnetization, and acceptance method. Unknown material or coating choices can remain open for review.
An initial review identifies missing inputs and next steps. It does not by itself confirm feasibility, performance, price, or delivery timing.