A Detailed Guide on the Samarium Cobalt Magnet
Samarium cobalt (SmCo), is a member of the lanthanide group on the periodic table. It is a close relative of neodymium. Both of them are called rare-earth elements. They are used to manufacture powerful and permanent magnets. A samarium cobalt magnet is just as breakable as a neodymium magnet, namely a Neo magnet. It should preferably be chipped or drilled before magnetization. Special diamond tools should be used for cutting or drilling operations. There is a lot of information that a prospective customer should know before buying samarium cobalt magnets. A simple guide is presented below:
Samarium Cobalt Magnet
How are samarium cobalt magnets made?
There are two methods for manufacturing these products. One method is called sintering. Super-fine samarium powder is molded into a solid thing through pressing. The first technique is called isostatic pressing. It entails a unique rubber die that hosts SmCo powder as it is gently pressed with equal force in all directions. The isostatic method produces a solid material with higher magnetic properties but tinier in size. There is also an observation that isostatically produced parts have magnetic characteristics that boast lower uniformity. Compression bonding is another technique used to make SmCo magnets. During this process, a very special type of samarium powder is mixed with a plastic carrier substance. Then it is die-pressed and heated. The compression-bonded components often have close tolerance thus demanding no machine finishing. What's more, these parts can be transformed into more complicated magnet shapes. Compared to sintered magnets, compression-bonded units have lower-energy products.
sintered samarium cobalt magnet
Samarium cobalt: machining
As briefly mentioned above, SmCo is as brittle as the neodymium rare-earth magnet. It could cut and crack easily. Hence, users are not advised to use crude tools to machine samarium cobalt magnets. Special diamond tools should be used for grinding instead. Likewise, grinding work must be done with generous amounts of coolant to reduce the damage that could arise due to heat, such as fires (for flammable dust caused by grinding) or cracks. It's wise to let professional machinists do the grinding work.
Magnetizing
Just like neodymium magnets, SmCo magnets require very strong and high magnetic fields to reach saturation. Magnetization must, therefore, be done after assembling. To make assemblies special, adhesives that fasten brittle SmCo magnets are utilized.
Handling tips
Although a samarium cobalt magnet boasts a very strong magnetic field, it may crack or chip easily. The same case applies to neodymium rare-earth magnets. They are brittle and must all be handled with a lot of care. Proper handling can prevent personal injuries and hazards. These magnets should never be allowed to accelerate at a high speed to an attracting object. They could collide and shatter into particles. Kids should not handle SmCo magnets or any other rare-earth magnets as these can be very dangerous if swallowed or allowed to pinch the skin.
Temperature resistance
Since the samarium cobalt magnet contains a rare-earth element, it is rarely affected by high temperatures. A standard grade, however, should never be heated beyond 350゜C.
Corrosion prevention
A SmCo magnet does not corrode, which is unlike a neodymium magnet, an alloy of neodymium, iron, and boron. Therefore it is not coated or plated.
Conclusion
Thank you for reading our article and we hope it can help you to have a better understanding of the samarium cobalt magnet. If you want to know more about samarium cobalt magnets or other magnet products, we advise you to visit Stanford Magnets for more information. As one of the leading suppliers of magnet products across the world, Stanford Magnets has rich experience in the manufacture and sale of various magnets. We provide our customers with high-quality rare earth permanent magnetic products such as neodymium magnets, and other non-rare earth permanent magnets at a very competitive price.
