Permanent Magnet Advancements and Applications

Permanent magnets are unique components in the energy conversion process. They often operate in a dynamic cycle where energy is converted from electrical or mechanical form to field energy and then returned to the original form.

This process is critical, as permanent magnets are a part of almost all the most important products in our lives. As new methods of manufacturing permanent magnets are created and new markets drive demand for better magnets, permanent magnets are beginning to change.

Advancements in Permanent Magnets

One of the major advancements in permanent magnets, and one of the most consequential, is the ability to produce permanent magnets through additive manufacturing. Producing magnets without any tooling, and with very little waste, opens up a plethora of design opportunities.

In fact, researchers recently announced that the permanent magnets produced through additive manufacturing outperform traditional bonded magnets and produced less waste. Additive manufacturing creates new capabilities in permanent magnets.

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Permanent Magnet Applications

As mentioned, permanent magnets are in nearly all the products we use. In that way, it’s difficult to accurately describe the entire scope of changes new permanent magnet capabilities will make.

For example, the ability to manufacture permanent magnets in virtually any shape leads to new capabilities in highly power-dense electrical machines. While this in itself has several different applications, one of the most notable is in transport applications.

Efficiency in electric vehicles is highly dependent on the weight of the vehicle. Permanent magnets produced through additive manufacturing – with their power-dense design – enable lighter electric vehicles, significantly improving their efficiency.

There are many other applications that have the potential to be dramatically improved through additive manufacturing of permanent magnets. Recent advancements in permanent magnets will have widespread effects.