Would you believe that a magnet no larger than a quarter could lift a 150 pound man off of the ground and hold him there indefinitely? Well, if the magnet were a rare earth magnet, it would have the magnetic force to hold that man by his metal belt buckle so he could be suspended over a tank filled with man eating sharks and not have to worry about becoming lunch. Neodymium magnets are incredibly powerful.
Belonging to a group of magnets collectively known as rare earth magnets, neodymium magnets are the most powerful of all permanent magnets known to man. Made of an alloy consisting of Neodymium (Nd), Iron (Fe) and Boron (B), these magnets are sometimes referred to as NdFeB or NIB magnets.
Neodymium magnets are a relatively new scientific break through having only been developed in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Their tremendous pulling power easily out-performs the magnetic field produced by ferrite or alnico magnets, which were considered the standard prior to the discovery of rare earth magnets.
Today, these powerful magnets are used in numerous applications. They are perfect for many industrial uses such as in permanent motors and cordless drills and other tools. They are also found in stereo headphones, speakers and computer hard drives. In addition to some of the high-tech products, these magnets also appear in many basic situations where metal needs to be held in place. Signs can be held in place with just one or two miniature neodymium magnets and they can also serve to keep doors closed.
The extremely powerful magnetic force produced by these special magnets can also be quite dangerous if not handled with care. It is quite possible to be injured or even break a bone in your hand if you get caught between two strong magnets or a magnet and a piece of metal. Children should never be allowed to play with these magnets for obvious reasons.
Additionally, the powerful magnetic field that is created by neodymium magnets can erase magnetic media and cause such things as the magnetic tape on the back of a credit card to become disabled. Other problems can develop with computers and CRT monitors if these magnets come in close proximity to such electronic components.
Like any other new technology, when the first neodymium magnets became available for industrial and business use, the cost was prohibitive. Other magnetic options were still used because of the big difference in price. Eventually, the technology improved and the mass production of the earth magnets brought the price down and in line with other options. Because of the superior performance that was able to be achieved in miniature-sized magnets, the neodymium magnet became the most popular of all permanent magnets. Today, these magnets are widely used and they are helping to produce better and more innovative products in many different areas of the economy.
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