Hard ferrite (HF)
Hard ferrite Magnets (80% iron oxide) are made out by a sintering process.
Like all ceramic materials, these magnets are very hard, brittle and virtually non-machinable.
The magnetic adhesive force drops when the magnet is heated.

AlNiCo (AN)
Aluminium nickel cobalt
AlNiCo magnets (mainly made out of aluminium, nickel, cobalt and iron) are the result of a
sintering process or a casting process.
These magnets are very hard and their material is very tough, but they can undergo also some
machining processes.
These magnets are generally used for applications in which the magnetic field must remain as
static and stable as possible, even at high temperatures.

SmCo (SC)
Samarium cobalt
SmCo magnets (mainly made out of samarium and cobalt) are the result of a sintering process.
These magnets are very hard, brittle and virtually non-machinable.
The magnetic adhesive force drops when the magnet is heated.

NdFeB (ND)
Neodymium iron boron
NdFeB magnets (mainly made out of neodymium, iron and boron) are the result of a sintering
process.
These magnets are very hard, brittle and virtually non-machinable.
The magnets made out of this material convey their maximum long-lasting magnetic power.
The magnetic adhesive force drops when the magnet is heated.

Adhesive forces

Apart from the kind of material and size of the magnets, other factors affecting the adhesive force are:
– an air gap (made out of magnetically non-conductive material)
– the quality of the surface (roughness and shape)
– the temperature
– the content of magnetic-iron material in the steel or its volume
The magnetic adhesive force can also be modified by continuous thermic variations and by some chemical factors (such as baths with aggressive substances).