Magnetics Business & Technology - Summer 2012 - (Page 17)

By dR. James f. Bell, pRincipal consulTanT • maGneTodynamics llc FEATURE ARTICLE RE-use, RE-duce, RE-cycle, RE-place In the last issue of Magnetics Magazine, there was an article that pointed out that there can actually be some beneficial consequences of the massive increases in Rare-Earth materials seen last year. As a follow up to that, and as a summary of the presentation that was made at the recent Magnetics conference in Orlando, this article expands on some of the ways in which users can be more effective and efficient in their use of permanent magnet materials, and describes some of the features of magnet manufacture that impact price. Many industries have adopted a version of the REduce, REuse, REcycle slogan, (particularly apt when the “RE” stands for RareEarth), but one of the additional terms that has been used with respect to permanent magnets is REplace. So let’s start with the last “RE” in the list. Permanent magnets may be a convenient way of producing a magnetic field, but in most applications it is not the only way of achieving the results and performance required. Two of the major applications that are frequently quoted as huge new demand for RE magnets are wind generators and hybrid vehicle traction motors. Admittedly, the use of permanent magnets have their benefits either in cost, weight or reliability, but non-magnet alternatives exist, and in wind turbines, the vast majority of large machines in use today do not use permanent magnet generators. Supply and demand, (rather than the speculation and manipulation that had a big part in the volatility last summer) and its effect on price, will dictate where rare-earth magnets are used, but there are ways of using these materials more effectively, more intelligently and more efficiently, which ultimately means a reduction in cost. The nonmagnet alternatives will continue to challenge the magnet based designs, whether it is wound field solution or even a switched reluctance machine. The second strand to replacement of RE magnets is substitution with other material types, but this can be a difficult process because of the very reasons why they have become so widely used, very high performance, weight reduction and size reduction. With size reduction, many of the other materials used in the design also reduce in cost, so it is not just the magnet cost that has to be taken into consideration. As RE magnet prices decline the drivers for replacement reduce, however the redesign exercises that have been complete will not have been in vain, because they will have established where the trigger point for change is, should there be any long term price rises in the future. When it comes to the other “RE”s in the list, any effort spent on these is a good investment no matter what happens to metal prices. Article continues on pAge 18 MuShield is a small company that tackles big problems. Our team is a talented mix of engineers with extensive experience in the field of magnetic shielding. This enables us to build, test, and deliver a product that works within a reasonable time frame. Visit us online at www.mushield.com. R Magnetic Shielding That Works! EMI Shielding & Design Magnetic Shielding Materials Sheet Coil Seamless Tubing R MuMetal2 Permalloy R HyMU80 R Manufacturing Capabilities Heat Treatment Design Capabilities Performance Testing Production Capabilities Shielding Consultation Prototyping Custom Electronic Components Shielding The MuShield Company 9 Ricker Avenue Londonderry, NH 03053 Toll Free: 888.669.3539 Email: info@mushield.com www.MagneticsMagazine.com Summer 2012 • Magnetics Business & Technology 17 http://www.mushield.com http://www.mushield.com http://www.MagneticsMagazine.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Magnetics Business & Technology - Summer 2012

Magnetics Business & Technology - Summer 2012
Editor's Choice
Injection Molded Magnets for Electrical Machines
The Process of Developing and Testing a New Transformer
Rare Earths & Corporate Social Responsibility
Research & Development
RE-use, RE-duce, RE-cycle, RE-place
Magnets • Materials • Measurement
Application • Component Developments
Industry News
Rare Earth Crisis Dissected: Securing the Future
Marketplace
Advertising Index
Spontaneous Thoughts: The End of Axial Pressing?

Magnetics Business & Technology - Summer 2012