Preparing Raw Material:

Neodymium magnets are contains a mixture of Neodymium, Iron, and Boron often referred to as NIB. The primary raw materials used are:

Neodymium: A rare-earth element.

Iron: A common metal.

Boron: A metalloid used to enhance the magnetic properties.

Manufacturing Neodymium Magnets Steps:

Melting and Alloying: A vacuum induction furnace melts the raw materials together. This process stops oxidation and keeps the alloy pure. Heat brings the mixture to a high temperature until it liquefies and forms a uniform liquid alloy.

Casting: Moulds receive the liquid alloy to create ingots. These ingots cool down and harden. The final ingots have the Nd₂Fe₁₄B crystal structure we want.

Crushing and Milling: A jaw crusher breaks the ingots into rough powder. A ball mill then grinds this powder into tiny particles. This powder has particles as small as microns and contains the Nd₂Fe₁₄B crystals.

Pressing: The fine powder is then pressed into a green compact using either a uniaxial press or an isostatic press. This step involves applying pressure to the powder to form a solid, though still fragile, shape. Sometimes, a small amount of binder is added to help the particles adhere to each other.

Sintering: Workers put green compacts in a sintering furnace and heat them to a high temperature (around 1,000°C) in a controlled atmosphere. Sintering causes the particles to bond without melting, which creates a dense and strong magnet. This process also lines up the crystal grains, which makes the magnetic properties better.

Magnetization: The magnets are cooled and cut or grinded to the shape and size they need. After machining, they place the magnets in a strong magnetic field. This aligns the magnetic domains inside the material, which makes the piece magnetic.

Coating: Neodymium magnets can rust easily so the workers add a protective layer. They often use nickel, zinc, gold, or epoxy for this. To coat the magnet, they first clean it and then apply the coating. They might use electroplating, dipping, or spraying to do this.

Inspection and Quality Control: The last step involves checking the magnets to make sure they're good quality and consistent. This means testing the magnetic properties measuring the size, and making sure the coating is intact. The team only packages and ships magnets that meet all the required standards.