Remagnetization of magnets

Has your magnet lost its strength? This guide is about how you can remagnetize magnets that have lost some of their strength. As long as you haven't exposed your magnet to extreme heat or cold, it's fairly easy to make your magnet highly magnetic again.

We need to go through some theory first, so you know whether your magnet has permanently lost its magnetism, or if the poles have just become a bit "skewed" and need to be realigned, so the magnet works optimally again. But to let you know how simple the solution is, here's the answer straight away:

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The solution is to use another magnet
- and yes, it's really that simple!
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But let's start with the temperatures standardmagnets* can withstand - their so-called maximum operating temperatures - to figure out whether the magnetism is lost permanently or temporarily.

Maximum operating temperature

• Neodymium withstands up to 80°C but has no lower limit.
• Ferrite withstands up to 250°C and down to -40°C.
• Magnetic tape (and sheets) withstand up to 85°C and down to -20°C.

*By standard magnet, we simply mean that these are quite normal neodymium magnets with N-value and ferrite magnets with Y-value. Specialized magnets are manufactured to handle specific tasks under higher/lower temperatures, but we won't touch on those in this FAQ.

There's usually always an exception to the rule, and it's therefore important to note that the above temperatures are only indicative. The thinner a magnet is, the more fragile it becomes. Therefore, you might find that magnets with a thickness of 1 mm might start losing their magnetism from 60°C. But if you have a magnet with the same thickness as its diameter (e.g., 10x10 mm), it can often withstand higher degrees (actually up to 140°C under ideal conditions). Test it first if you are going to use them in larger machines or anything like so. However, we always recommend not using the magnets up to the max limits of their operating temperature for extended periods, as it makes the setup more fragile concerning temperature fluctuations.

Note! No lower limit for neodymium magnets means that you can put them in liquid nitrogen without damaging them.