Can Neodymium Magnets Be Drilled And Machined?

Neodymium magnets are the strongest of the permanent rare-earth magnets. For the magnetic strength it packs, it is relatively light. It has wide commercial uses such as in electric motors, magnetic resonance imaging, speakers and headphones, and in computer hard disks. It is also gaining popularity in other applications that magnets have not been used before, such as in closing mechanisms of items such as jewelry and parachute equipment, and even in children’s toys. It is commercially available for do-it-yourself hobbyists. This leads to whether it can be drilled or machined by non-professionals or not. While the possibility is there, it is not encouraged for several reasons.

Reasons not to Drill or Machine

If you are an avid do-it-yourself person and have interest in working with Neodymium Magnet Supplier, purchase magnets that are already cut according to the size your need. If you need holes bored into them, have it done by professionals. You can also order neodymium magnets according to your particular specifications. You may just cause damage to the magnets or even injury to yourself if you lack the expertise and still do the drilling or machining yourself.

The first reason why you should not even attempt drilling or machining these magnets on your own is because Nd-Fe-B sintered magnets behave like a ceramic. This means that they may be hard but are fragile because of their brittleness. They have tendency to crack and chip when drilled. You would just be wasting your money rather than just have a professional do it for you.

Even if you manage to drill or machine the magnets according to your needs, the powder produced when machining these magnets is flammable. This makes your work area a very high-risk fire hazard. The fine powder flying around can very easily catch fire with the sparks from the machine or the drill.

Add that to the fact that the fumes are toxic and the material burns very fast and hot. Not only will you be working in the middle of a fire hazard but you will be inhaling toxic fumes as well. There is also a very high risk of burning yourself with the material.

Though they are called permanent magnets, they can actually be demagnetized by heat. This is another reason why you should let the professionals do it for you. Machining causes heat to build up in the magnet which may result in it being demagnetized.

Unless you are a professional or have a significant amount of experience in ceramics it is not recommended that you drill or machine your rare Earth Magnet because of the reasons listed above. You would be better off paying the extra cost of ordering specially cut magnets or having a professional do it for you. if you insist, you may just end up wasting a good magnet or even causing injury to yourself.