Like any other piece of equipment, magnets do need to be maintained. This helps protect them from damage and can increase their lifespan. By caring for them properly, you’ll maximize your investment as well.
Here are a few steps you can take to protect this vital manufacturing tool:
- Understand how your magnet works. By understanding how the magnet operates within your manufacturing system, you’ll be able to understand better what wear and tear may occur and actively prevent anything from happening.
- Depending on the type of magnetic device you have, you may have been provided with a keeper. A keeper is a piece of iron added between the south and north magnet poles. This keeper redirects the magnetic fields to prevent the magnet from demagnetizing.
- If possible, ensure your magnets stay dry. Due to their composition, magnets left in damp conditions can corrode over time.
- Rare earth magnets can be very brittle. For that reason, they are often protected by a casing or coating. Should wear and tear on the outer casing or coating happen, make sure to repair the exterior to protect the interior magnet from damage.
- Keep electronic devices away from magnets to protect them against damage. Many of our magnet products have a highly magnetic surface, and if electronics get too close to the device, while the magnet itself will be fine, your device may not be as lucky.
- Work to keep your magnets away from strong electrical currents. A robust electrical current can disrupt the magnet’s magnetic field.
- It’s a good idea to keep your magnets away from high temperatures. High temperatures can change a magnet’s physical as well as chemical properties. Once these are altered, the magnetism will also change and can cause them to lose their strength.
Rare earth magnets have an exceptionally long shelf life. If kept in optimum conditions, a rare earth magnet will only lose a small percentage of its strength every hundred years or so. By protecting your magnets and following proper storage and maintenance procedures, your magnet will remain strong and continue to help you maintain quality control throughout your manufacturing process.
If you have questions about maintaining a particular magnet in your facility correctly or would like more information about the magnets IMT has on offer, do not hesitate to contact us.