Apex alone offers 450 different types of magnets – and each geometric variant has unique benefits, so how are you to choose? The truth is, many magnets can be used for many things — isn’t that what makes them so great? With that said, we can offer some guidance to help you in your decision for you to get the most bang for your buck and offer you the easiest application.  Choosing Your Shape and Material In our opinion, the shape and material are often overlooked when choosing the right magnet for your project. The shape of a magnet can tell you a lot more than size! Each magnet’s shape determines how the magnetic field lines are arranged outside of the magnet as well as the strength of its pull. Shape determines what surface area it covers — think about using a sphere magnet to hang something up — technically spheres are the strongest magnet relative to their size/shape, but they don’t have a large contact point. Instead, cylinders or cubes are a better choice for hanging things. Check out this guide we made on the different shape options and their uses!  NdFeB, SmCo, Alnico... these aren’t for a word scramble! Each of these are a type of magnet — with an additional two as well. As you can probably guess, each type has their own strengths, weaknesses, and uses! If you need a magnet, start with this guide first. Of course, neodymium magnets are a best seller here at Apex for a reason — they’re available in a number of basic shapes, such as cubes, spheres and cylinders, bars, blocks, discs and rings, and so many more!  Pullforce and Strength Bigger is not always better! That goes for shape, pull force, and price tag! A magnet with the same strength/pull force as another can be more expensive—a direct result of their shape and weight. Pull force and magnet strength can often be confused, so we made this guide to help you choose between pull forces. The pull force of a magnet is essentially the force needed to pull two magnets apart or to remove a magnet from some other surface. For example, a magnet with a 15lb pull force does not necessarily mean it will be able to lift a 15lb object.  It’s important to remember, pull strength is a very subjective measure that is dependent upon many factors such as:
  1. Type of material being pulled against
  2. Surface conditions
  3. Physical contact
  4. Magnet characteristics such as plating composition
  5. Presence or absence of lateral and rotational forces
The temperature and size of the magnet (like magnetic force and field) as well as the surface condition and pull angle are huge factors in particular!  Size Finally, you’ll want to be sure you’re getting the right size. Say you want to purchase a block magnet. If you're buying through Apex Magnets, you can go with one as small as 4mm x 2mm x 1mm or as large as 6" x 4" x 2". If you figure out that a block, disc, or cylinder magnet is the shape for you and you know the pull force, you can use our popular grid size to easily find the best match!  Let Apex Magnets Help You! So, what about getting a magnet custom-made? That’s an option here at Apex! But, it’s not for everyone. Check out this blog to see if what you’re looking for is a custom order or not. We know choosing from 450+ options can be challenging, so we’re available to help you out Monday - Friday  9am to 5pm Eastern time at 1-304-257-1193!