Applications

Permanent magnet applications can be divided into four categories as follows:

1# Applications that use the tractive and/or repelling force of the magnet to do mechanical work, i.e., the attraction between a magnet and a soft magnetic material, such as a piece of iron or steel, or the attraction or repulsion between two magnets. This category includes the following applications:
-Magnetic separators, magnetic holding devices, such as magnetic latches.
-Magnetic torque drives
-Magnetic bearing devices

2# Applications that use the magnetic field of the magnet to convert mechanical energy to electrical energy. Some of these applications are:
-Magnetos
-Generators and alternators
-Eddy current brakes (used widely for watt-hour meter damping)

3# Applications that use the magnetic field of the magnet to convert electrical energy to mechanical energy. Some of these applications are:
-Motors
-Meters
-Loudspeakers
-Relays
-Actuators, linear, and rotational

4# Applications that make use the magnetic field of the magnet to direct, shape and control electron or ion beams. Some of these applications follow:
-Magnetic focused cathode-ray tubes
-Traveling Wave Tubes
-Magnetrons, BWO’s, Klystrons
-Ion Pumps
-Cyclotrons

Matching Our Products to Applications

The purpose of a permanent magnet is to produce flux in the working gap of a device. Obviously all permanent magnetic materials will produce flux, but depending on the application, certain material types, grades and shapes will be more efficient. The following is applications for each group of our magnets suitable for: