Permanent magnet materials

The author looks at the historical development of magnet materials through which it can be seen that although some of their properties have been known about for well over three thousand years, it is only in the last fifty years that applications have expanded from large holding magnets, the magneto generator and the humble compass needle. The author argues that with all the current improvements in processing (including for ferrite production), the variety of production methods for the rare-earth materials, and the new materials currently under development, the variety of products from which the designer will be able to choose will continue to expand. Along with this, the cost of all these products will continue to fall, resulting in a greater use of permanent magnets and a much greater choice for the designer