In This Guide
Start With Your Requirements
Material selection starts with four questions: What field strength do you need? What temperature will the magnet see? What environment will it operate in? What is your budget?
- •Field strength → determines minimum BH Max → eliminates weaker materials
- •Temperature → determines minimum Hci → selects the grade suffix (H, SH, UH, etc.)
- •Environment → corrosion, chemicals, moisture → determines coating and material
- •Budget → cost per unit of magnetic energy → drives material and geometry trade-offs
NdFeB: Maximum Performance
Neodymium magnets offer the highest energy product (35–55 MGOe) of any commercial material. Choose NdFeB when you need the strongest magnet in the smallest space. Available in sintered (highest properties) and bonded (complex geometries) forms.
- •Best for: Motors, actuators, sensors, MRI, consumer electronics
- •Limitations: Susceptible to corrosion (requires coating), limited temperature range without HREE additions
- •Cost: Medium-high (linked to rare earth commodity prices)
- •Mainrich advantage: GBD technology for high-temp grades at lower HREE cost
SmCo: Extreme Environments
Samarium Cobalt magnets excel where NdFeB fails: high temperatures (up to 350°C), corrosive environments, and radiation exposure. Inherently corrosion-resistant — no coating required in most applications.
- •Best for: Aerospace, defense, downhole drilling, high-temperature motors
- •Limitations: Lower BH Max than NdFeB (16–32 MGOe), brittle, expensive
- •Cost: High (cobalt and samarium are both strategic materials)
Ferrite: Cost-Effective & Reliable
Ferrite (ceramic) magnets offer the lowest cost per unit of magnetic energy. Excellent corrosion resistance and good temperature stability. Choose ferrite when performance requirements are moderate and cost is critical.
- •Best for: DC motors, speakers, magnetic separators, craft & consumer products
- •Limitations: Low BH Max (1–5 MGOe), brittle, poor performance in cold (-40°C)
- •Cost: Very low (abundant raw materials, simple processing)
Decision Matrix
Use this quick-reference comparison to narrow your material choice. Then contact Mainrich's engineering team for application-specific recommendations — we provide free design assistance.
Pro Tip: When in doubt, start with NdFeB N42 for prototyping — it offers an excellent balance of cost and performance. We can optimize the grade during production ramp-up.
Need help choosing? Our engineers will recommend the optimal material for your application — free of charge.
Contact Our Engineers