Magnet Facts

When you imagine a magnet, does the iconic horseshoe magnet come to mind? For many, it does! This U-shaped magnet has remained a popular depiction of magnets and has an interesting story behind it. Continue reading →

Have you purchased rare earth magnets or bought items containing magnets and questioned how to dispose of them when you’re finished? We’ve covered the topic of recycling and reusing rare earth magnets in blogs before, so to celebrate Earth Day, we’ve rounded some key topics to keep you up-to-date on this important topic. Today, recycling remains a critical issue in environmental discussions, but plastic and glass are not the only materials with an environmental impact. After all, it is estimated that only one percent of rare earth elements (REE) are recycled from end products for modern technologies. For example, magnets are in many of the devices we discard, but they are often forgotten.  Continue reading →

A group of scientists from the Materials Research Institute, led by Dr. Lee Jung-koo and Dr. Kim Tae-hoon developed a new rare earth element-reduced permanent magnet material that can reduce the use of the element neodymium by about 30% in industrial magnets.  Because rare earths can be difficult to obtain and many countries experience supply shortages (most production takes place outside of the US and there are limitations and regulations to export), the scientists aimed to find an alternative solution to reduce neodymium without impacting its magnetic properties. Prior to this new development the cerium content was increased, but it negatively impacted magnetic properties. Continue reading →

Did you know that magnetism could potentially play a role in relaying quantum information? Well, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory has performed extensive research that has, according to their scientists, achieved efficient quantum coupling between two distant magnetic devices, which can “host a certain type of magnetic excitations called magnons.”  Continue reading →

The Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering — called the “Nobel for engineering” — recognized the importance and ubiquitousness of magnets by naming Japanese scientist Masato Sagawa the 2022 laureate. Sagawa invented the neodymium-iron-boron (Nd-Fe-B) magnet, which is the strongest permanent magnet in widespread use today. They’re everywhere around us in the products we use every day, like cars, cellphones, and computers.   It’s relevant to note that America’s Dr. John Croat simultaneously came up with the same material solution when working with General Motors. Sagawa’s manufacturing process, however, gave him the upper hand.  Continue reading →

Magnets are integral to the workplace. They not only streamline processes but provide safety in high-risk applications. Magnets can help address common work hazards and meet industry safety practices because of their durability, reliability, and pull force. They are particularly useful for safety in metalworking and fabrication, automobile workshops, production facilities, construction sites, warehouses, and more. Considering implementing one of the following types of magnets to improve safety processes:  Continue reading →

When filling out your Apex custom magnet request form, you’ll come across a section to choose a magnet coating or finish: nickel, zinc, plastic, rubber, epoxy, chrome, gold, silver, or none. Magnet coatings and finishes could help your magnet perform better in your application. They can improve durability, which increases the magnet’s lifetime and reduces overall costs.  If you’re unsure of which magnet coating or finish you should get, or if you should get one at all, this guide can help you decide.  Continue reading →

The oil and gas industry experiences limited natural resources, which means many oil and gas companies have to drill new wells to maintain the oil and gas supply. The process of drilling new wells oftentimes means drilling in different rock formations, new directions, and going deeper into the ground. As a result, the environment is more dangerous and challenging. Oil and gas companies can leverage two magnetic sensors to help minimize operational challenges. Continue reading →

We love seeing headlines about mysterious magnetic space objects “unlike anything astronomers have seen before.” In general, we tend to gravitate toward magnet-related news, but this story is particularly intriguing and attractive, so we wanted to share it!   Essentially, a research team responsible for mapping radio waves out in space discovered an object that releases a huge burst of energy three times per hour. It sends out a beam of radiation, crossing our line of sight, and for roughly 60 seconds every twenty minutes, it shines as one of the brightest radio sources in our sky.  Continue reading →

Whether you own a bar, cafeteria, or restaurant, you’ve probably made unnecessary expenses replacing flatware that was accidentally thrown away. Between both customers and employees, throwing away flatware is inevitable, especially if it's buried in garbage.  Flatware can be expensive, and not having enough can slow down your day-to-day operations. The good news is you can create a trash can retriever to collect flatware before it gets thrown away. No more unnecessary expenditures! Continue reading →