×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Magnetic Power

Magnetic Power

Magnetic Power

(OP)
Can anyone tell me if magnetic power is additive or something else?  If I have a flat magnetic sheet and I add a second sheet does the magnetic attraction to surrounding objects double?

RE: Magnetic Power

I don't know if it's an exact 1-to-1 increase, but I've seen instances where adding multiple identical magnets increases the magnetic field.  For example, we have products which use a magnet to trip a reed switch.  In testing of a new product it was found that the magnet initially specified didn't reliably trip the reed, but adding multiple magnets achieved the desired result without decreasing the spacing between the reed and the magnet.

RE: Magnetic Power

It's additive, but distance plays a large role.  So unless you are using infinitely thin sheets it won't be linear.

RE: Magnetic Power

What type of magnets?  Here is a helpful link http://www.netdenizen.com/emagnet/index.htm with some good formulas

Heckler   americanflag
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
SWx 2007 SP 4.0 & Pro/E 2001
      o
  _`\(,_
(_)/ (_)

This post contains no political overtones or undertones for that matter and in no way represents the poster's political agenda.

RE: Magnetic Power

Side by side, yes.  Back to back, no.

If two magnets have a pull of 2 lbs ea., then two of them side by side can lift 4 lbs, since they act independently, just like suction cups.

One magnet behind another will not multiply attractive force proportionately.  If this were true then longer magnets would be proportionately more powerful than shorter ones, which is not the case.

And remember that magnetic sheets are not really true magnets like solid ones, with a north and south pole.  They have been magnetized in spots on the surface with alternating N and S areas.

Don
Kansas City

RE: Magnetic Power

(OP)
Thanks y'all for the good info.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources