December 2012

Feature Article

Magnet Materials and Their Properties

Permanent, soft and electro-magnets are a vital part of everyday life. They are found in or used to produce almost every modern convenience today. Magnet channels and products continue to advance with the changing needs of the marketplace. Through the years, customer requirements have become more advanced, from the magnet distribution needs of the early 1950s to the custom permanent magnet machining required for today’s applications. <read more>

Research & Development

Magnetic Idea: Rare-Earth Recycling

Recycling keeps paper, plastics, and even jeans out of landfills. Could recycling rare-earth magnets do the same? Perhaps, if the recycling process can be improved.

Scientists at DOE’s Ames Laboratory are working to more effectively remove the neodymium, a rare earth element, from the mix of other materials in a magnet. Initial results show recycled materials maintain the properties that make rare-earth magnets useful. <read more>

Magnetics 2013: Register by January 10th & Save!
Visit our website to download the brochure, view the conference program with presentation descriptions, meet the speakers, and read exclusive speaker interviews.

Benefits of Attending

How will your organization benefit from this industry-leading technical event that offers in-depth conference presentations, a combined exhibit hall with Motor & Drive Systems 2013, networking breaks, luncheons and receptions? Read our checklist to understand the value of attending Magnetics 2013:

MEDER electronic Announces 3-D Magnetic Mapping Of Reed Sensors

Optimize components and eliminate issues that may result in faulty operations
Meder electronic Inc., a manufacturer of precise, reliable, and long-lasting miniature switches, sensors and relays, announces its 3-dimensional magnetic mapping capabilities for reed sensors. This process allows designers to more accurately place sensors and magnetic components within a system, thus eliminating any issues that may result in faulty operation.

MEDER electronic conducts 3-D magnetic mapping by incrementally measuring the reed sensor’s closure and opening points as it enters and exits the influence of a magnetic field. This information is then analyzed, allowing the user to visualize the magnetic field in three dimensions. Understanding the interacting magnetic fields allows designers to better position the magnet and sensor in the system for optimal operation. 3-D mapping also helps designers adjust the magnetic sensitivity of the reed sensor and/or the magnet’s size and strength.

The ability to know where the key operating points are is critical to sensor applications, because it allows designers to properly position the magnet and sensor well within appropriate guard bands and avoid tolerance issues. It is particularly useful in applications using more than one reed sensor or more than one magnet. For applications in which ferromagnetic material like iron, steel, nickel or cobalt are present in the area where sensing takes place, 3-D modeling becomes quite extensive and unpredictable, so magnetic mapping is the only way to know for sure where the boundaries are.

In addition to ensuring operations are well within the magnetic envelopes to avoid tolerance issues, 3D magnetic mapping helps designers optimize the sensor and magnet components, which can significantly reduce costs.

New Probe Station Specifications from Lake Shore Cryotronics

Lake Shore Cryotronics, Inc. has released updated specifications for the Model CRX-VF Cryogenic Probe Station, which features increased maximum magnetic field, improved magnetic field at elevated sample temperatures and improved vacuum performance.

The versatile Model CRX-VF cryogen-free micro manipulated probe station is used for non-destructive testing of devices on full and partial wafers up to 51 millimeters (2 inches) in diameter. The CRX-VF superconducting magnet platform generates higher fields than are possible with an electromagnet based station without the operating cost of liquid helium. Well suited for measuring electrical, electro-optical, parametric, high Z, and Hall effect, as well as DC, RF, and microwave properties of materials and test devices, the CRX-VF is widely used to measure nanoscale electronics, quantum wires and dots, semiconductors and spintronic devices.

The Model CRX-VF’s specifications have been improved and updated, making it more flexible than ever. The maximum magnetic field capability at base temperature has been improved from ±2.25 T to ±2.5 T. Additionally, the CRX-VF can now be operated up to ±2 T from 10 K to 400 K and up to ±1 T from 400 K to 500 K. Previously, only ±0.5 T was possible above 400 K and no magnetic field was possible above 450 K.

A new high vacuum option has been added as a standard option for customers whose applications require lower base pressures. The PS-HV-CPX option improves vacuum to <5 × 10-7 Torr with the station at base temperature, an improvement of two orders of magnitude over the standard vacuum configuration. The high vacuum option is recommended for applications sensitive to contamination.

New Ultra-Miniature Chip Capacitor Series for the RF and Microwave Communications Market
AVX Corp. has introduced a new series of ultra-miniature chip capacitors for the RF and microwave communications market.  Featuring copper electrodes in place of standard precious metal electrodes, the new CU series chip capacitors provide low ESR, high Q and tight tolerances.  Available in 01005 and 0201 case sizes, the new copper electrode chip capacitors are well suited for applications including power amplifiers, handheld devices, GPS, vehicle location systems and matching networks for wireless LANs. 

“Equipped with copper instead of precious metal electrodes, the new CU series capacitors provide ultra low ESR and high Q, both of which are critical in communications applications,” said Larry Eisenberger, product manager at AVX.
AVX’s new CU series chip capacitors are composed of C0G (NP0) temperature-compensating EIA Class I ceramic materials, one of the most stable dielectrics available, and feature lead-free, nickel and tin-plated terminations.  The temperature coefficient of capacitance for the series is 0±30ppm/°C from -55° to 125°C.  Capacitance value and working voltage vary by case size.  The 01005 CU series capacitors have a capacitance value range of 0.5 to 6.2pF and a working voltage of 16 VDC, and the 0201 capacitors have a capacitance value of 0.5 to 22pF and a working voltage of 25 VDC.

Global and Chinese Permanent Magnet Industry Report, 2012
Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global and Chinese Permanent Magnet Industry Report, 2012" report to their offering.

Permanent magnet is mainly divided into two categories: ferrite and rare earth magnet. Rare earth magnet mainly includes NdFeB. Due to the acute fluctuation of rare earth prices in 2011, NdFeB price correspondingly experienced wide fluctuations. The average price of NdFeB was RMB 106 / kg in January 2011, then rose sharply to RMB 615 / kg in July, but slumped to RMB 215 / kg in December. The average price in the third quarter of 2012 was RMB 173 / kg.
The market prospects of HDD and ODD, which are the most important application fields of bonded NdFeB, look gloomy. Popular electronic products, such as tablet PC, which is gradually occupying traditional PC market, don't use HDD and ODD. Traditional PC is HDD and ODD's main market, and the market may decline continually.

HDD shipment was about 620.652 million in 2011, but was only 442.32 million in the first three quarters of 2012, and is predicted to be only 582.31 million in 2012, down 6.2 percent year-on-year. The HDD shipment is estimated to decline to 536.82 million in 2015, down 14 percent compared with 2011. The ODD shipment was about 495 million in 2011, and it is expected to decline to 425 million in 2015.

Other areas, such as frequency conversion air conditioner, e-bike and loudspeaker, are facing decline too. These areas are more sensitive to price, ferrite is competent in these areas too, and the cost is much lower.

NdFeB is applied widely in automobile market, especially EPS. It is estimated global EPS motor shipment will reach 33.9 million in 2012, and run up to 42.6 million in 2014, up 25.7 percent. The application scope of EPS is stretching from high-end to low-end vehicles, so the market prospect is very good. But most EPS motors are produced by Japanese companies, who will purchase local magnet with priority.

Wind Turbine Gearbox and Direct Drive Systems
Research and Markets has announced the addition of GlobalData's new report "Wind Turbine Gearbox and Direct Drive Systems - Global Market Size, Company Share, Gearbox Refurbishments and Key Country Analysis to 2020" to their offering.

Renewable energy generation simplifies its technology, as wind installations begin to reject gearboxes in favor of the good-old direct drive turbines, states a new report by energy experts.

The new report* discusses the advantages and problems associated with advanced technology in the wind power industry. A gearbox allows the generator's internal shaft to spin 50-250 times for each rotation of the turbine blades, and provides advantages including low noise levels and high efficiency. However, drawbacks include a high level of maintenance and low reliability.

The global wind turbine gearbox market is dominated by Winergy and China High Speed Transmission Equipment, who combined accounted for a 52 percent share of global wind turbine gearbox production in 2011. The total amount of gearbox units installed in the global wind market increased from 9,075 in 2006 to 21,192 in 2011 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 19 percent, but an increase in average turbine size and growing prominence of direct drive systems is expected to result in a decline in turbine installations with gearboxes during the forecast period, from present levels to 12,662 by 2020.

In contrast, direct drive technology does not use a gearbox, offering slow movement of all the parts of the wind turbine systems and therefore reduced wear and tear of the system and superior reliability. Direct drive turbines have been in the wind power market for a long time, but have gained increasing popularity in recent years due to the low reliability and high refurbishment costs of gearbox components.

Enercon GmbH of Germany and Xinjiang GoldWind Science and Technology Company Limited of China are major companies manufacturing direct drive turbines, and both are perfecting their industry offerings. Enercon's annular multiple poles generator reduces the number of moving components used, while Xinjiang's GoldWind uses permanent magnet direct drive technology. This increases reliability substantially, and reduces maintenance costs and time, increasing production time and therefore providing improved returns. However, the cost of permanent magnet generators depends upon the cost of rare earth materials such as Neodymium.

The share of global wind turbine installations accounted for by direct drive turbines has grown from around 18 percent in 2006 to 22 percent in 2011, and is expected to increase to 29 percent by 2020, with wind turbine manufacturers such as Siemens and GE shifting from gearbox turbines to permanent magnet direct drive turbines.
This report provides clear understanding of the wind turbine drive systems market, and insight into the key drivers and challenges impacting the market. It also provides data regarding historic and forecast growth, and covers information on units installed and market share of manufacturers for the gearbox and direct drive market. The report additionally provides information on average price, market size and refurbishment of gearbox market for global and key countries such as the US, Canada, Germany, Spain, Italy, France, the UK, China and India.

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/79fvhm/wind_turbine

Magnetic Materials - Global Strategic Business Report 2012 Featuring 220 Company Profiles
Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Magnetic Materials - Global Strategic Business Report" report to their offering.

This report analyzes the worldwide markets for Magnetic Materials in US$ Million by the following Product Segments: Soft Magnetic Materials (Soft Ferrite, and Electrical Steel), and Permanent Magnetic Materials (Alnico Magnets, Hard Ferrite, Samarium Cobalt Magnets, and NdFeB Magnets). The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the US, Canada, Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Rest of World. Annual estimates and forecasts are provided for the period 2010 through 2018. A six-year historic analysis is also provided for these markets.

The report profiles 220 companies including many key and niche players such as Advanced Technology & Materials Co., Ltd., Beijing Jingci Magnetism Technology Co., Beijing Zhong Ke San Huan Hi-Tech Co., Ltd., BGRIMM Magnetic Materials & Technology Co. Ltd., Electron Energy Corp., Hitachi Metals Ltd., Hitachi Metals America Ltd., Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Co., Ltd., Hoosier Magnetics Inc., Jiashan Pengcheng Magnets Co Ltd., JFE Ferrite Corporation, Magnetics, Inc., Master Magnetics, Inc., Ningbo Ketian Magnet Co., Ltd., Ningbo Permanent Magnetics Co Ltd., Ningbo Vastsky Magnetic & Plastic Technology Co., Ltd., Ningbo Yunsheng Hi-Tech Magnetics Co Ltd., Neo Material Technologies, Inc., Shin-Etsu Chemical Co, Ltd., TDK Corp., Thomas & Skinner, Inc., ThyssenKrupp Electrical Steel, Tridus Magnetics and Assemblies, and Vacuumschmelze GmbH & Co. KG.

DOE to Invest in EEC’s Rare Earth Magnet Research

Electron Energy Corporation (EEC), a producer of rare earth magnets and magnet systems, has announced that the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) will invest in its applied research project examining novel magnetic materials which reduce, eliminate or more efficiently utilize rare earth elements. EEC’s project will demonstrate an innovative, inexpensive processing route to produce next generation nanocomposite magnets in bulk form.

ARPA-E, a component of the Department of Energy established by Congress in 2006 to improve the technical innovation of the energy sector, will fund the EEC led team with $2,904,000 over the course of 3 years.

“We look forward to our work with ARPA-E on this program and hope to develop an economical, industrial scalable process for producing a very high performance, cost effective magnet,” said Peter Dent, vice president of Business Development at EEC.

EEC will lead the research effort and combine its expertise with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), a Department of Energy Laboratory managed by DOE’s Office of Science, and Ames Laboratory which is operated for DOE by Iowa State University. EEC and its collaborators will work to develop a new solid state processing technology which could transform how current magnets are fabricated. This process will directly result in exchange-coupled nanocomposites and has the potential to reduce the total rare earth content by 30 percent or more. It could also more than double the energy product of the magnets which is a key measure of magnet strength. The new process is continuous and scalable. It has promise to be a reliable and economical means to produce high energy-density magnets needed for advanced traction motors, wind power generators and many other applications.

Event Listings

Attend a Workshop to Increase Your Technical Skill-Set

Magnetics 2013, taking place February 7-8, 2013 in Orlando, Fla., offers an industry-leading line-up of magnetics experts who will be addressing the latest developments in materials, design and testing, along with current market conditions and what's ahead for the the magnetics industry in the years to come.

Magnetics 2013 is offering informative pre-conference workshops on February 6th, 2013 to complement its in-depth conference program. The workshops, which have limited seating to ensure each attendee receives individual attention, will sell out.

Magnetics Bootcamps
Instructor: Dr. Stan Trout - Spontaneous Materials
The Bootcamp Workshops focus on the basics of Magnetics and will take place on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 in Orlando, Fla. at the Rosen Plaza hotel. If you need to understand magnets better for your job, want to get more from the conference presentations or are new to the field, then Basic – Bootcamp I is the right place to start. If something more advanced is what you are looking for, attend Bootcamp II.

Basic – Bootcamp I (taking place from 8 AM to 12 PM) assumes that one has little or no background in magnetics. The Bootcamp I workshop will cover the fundamental magnetic concepts such as hysteresis, what is magnetism, units, basic processing, magnetizing and thermal effects.

Advanced – Bootcamp II (taking place from 1 PM to 5 PM) assumes someone has either taken a previous Bootcamp or has some basic technical understanding of magnetics. After a brief review of the basics, including self-demagnetization and loadlines, we will discuss raw materials and their pricing, advanced processing techniques, manufacturability, design basics, new design case studies and what’s new on the horizon.

Basic/Advanced Bootcamp Package (8 AM to 5 PM). Attend both Bootcamps for a full day of training and save!

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Power Inductors and Transformers Workshops
Instructor: Samir Kagalwala - Power Magnetics Consultancy (PMC)
The Power Inductors & Transformers Workshops, focusing on the basics of power inductors and transformers, will take place on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 in Orlando, Fla. at the Rosen Plaza hotel. If better understanding of electromagnetic principles in easy to understand lingo would help you in your job function, if you want to refresh the basic theory of magnetic coils or if you are new to the field, then the Electromagnetic Principles & Basic Magnetic Theory of Operations workshop is for you. Or, attend the In-Coming Quality Control (IQC) and Assurance of Outsourced Magnetics workshop, which is designed to introduce power magnetic and their quality parameters in simple terms without detail mathematical formulas and technical jargon to provide functional understanding of the parameters.

Electromagnetic Principles & Basic Magnetic Theory of Operations (taking place from 9 AM to 12 PM) is designed to benefit personnel at all levels associated with magnetic coils and high frequency power supplies. This course would provide personnel responsible for designing, manufacturing, testing, procuring and selling inductors, transformers and high frequency power supplies an opportunity to refresh basics. Marketing and sale personnel will benefit communicating better with customers. Component qualification and supplier qualification personnel would gain needed insight to perform their tasks effectively. Managers and executives will have refreshing insight into basics of power magnetics.

In-Coming Quality Control (IQC) and Assurance of Outsourced Magnetics (taking place from 1 PM to 5 PM) is designed to introduce power magnetic and their quality parameters in simple terms without detail mathematical formulas and technical jargon to provide functional understanding of the parameters, and to help set and/or improve IQC & Assurance processes for consistently receiving magnetic devices to specified quality level.

Power Inductors & Transformers Package (9 AM to 5 PM). Attend both workshops for a full day of training and save!

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