Magnet Applications, Inc. advances 3D printed magnets
Magnet Applications, Inc., the only North American manufacturer of compression bonded magnets and a leading manufacturer of injection molded magnets, hybrid magnets and magnetic assemblies, announced a breakthrough in 3D printed neodymium iron boron (NdFeB) magnets. Engineers from Magnet Applications, working together with researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, have proven that permanent magnets produced by additive manufacturing (commonly referred to a “3D Printing”) outperform bonded magnets using traditional methods with less waste.
Magnet Applications, Inc., a Bunting Magnetics Company, manufactured the starting composite pellets with 65 volume percent isotropic NdFeB powder and 35 percent polyamide nylon-12 binder in a precise ratio, blended to a consistent texture. The 3D printing was performed at the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory with the Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM system). Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a Tennessee-based science and technology laboratory managed by the United States Department of Energy. The complete study is published in Scientific Reports.