Custom Electromagnets and Coils

Custom Electromagnets and Coils 

At Stangenes Industries, we specialize in designing, building, and testing AC, DC, and pulsed electromagnets.  The customer may provide a polished design for us to fabricate or collaborate with our team of skilled design and simulation engineers to bring an idea into reality. Stangenes specializes in both ferrous and non-ferrous electromagnets for applications such as beam focusing, bending, and kicking as well as force, flux uniformity, and levitation.    

Stangenes Industries uses Poisson 2D FEA and Opera 3D FEA programs to simulate AC and DC flux patterns to optimize the magnets’ shape and fields before any copper or steel is cut. Inventor CAD allows us to also model dynamic thermal, mechanical, and fluid systems. Once the design is approved by both engineers and customers, our highly trained team of assemblers, some with decades of experience, fabricate the magnets. On the other end our testing group has the capability to automatically field map the unit as well as perform stretched-wire or rotating-coil tests if necessary. The test group will also ensure the magnet meets all design specifications.  

Depending on the application, our magnets can be air or water-cooled and are therefore considered “room-temperature” electromagnets. For high current densities Stangenes offers hollow-conductor coils where low-conductivity water flows through the wire itself. For high-current density applications where high packing-factor is required, Stangenes Industries also offer a foil-wound option. These foil-wound coils can be machined like steel and efficiently cooled via cooling-plates. Foil-wound electromagnets also minimize transverse fields in solenoid electromagnets.  

Whether you are a Fortune-500 company, an international laboratory, or working out of your garage, Stangenes Industries would love to hear about your specific need in the fields of medical, scientific, military, industrial and commercial applications. At Stangenes Industries, we can help you choose the right electromagnet for your application.  

To find out more, get in touch with us! 

Electromagnet Capabilities 

An electromagnet refers to a type of magnet where the magnetic field is created by an AC, DC, or pulsed electric coil. The magnetic field ceases once the current in the coil is removed, unlike permanent magnets where magnetic fields remain. Electromagnets are used in a variety of applications, including electromechanical relays, satellites, radiation therapy, and particle accelerators. 

The strength of an electromagnet can be increased by winding the coil of wire around a core of material that is highly magnetic. The strength of the magnet can also be increased by adding more turns to the coils. The magnetic fields produced by an electromagnet can be oriented in any direction depending on the application. 

Types of Electromagnets:  

Wire Wound Electromagnets  

• Electromagnets that have a coil of wire wrapped around the core of the material.  The wire is typically made of copper or aluminum.  
• Wire wound electromagnets are composed of enameled copper wire wound around a magnetic steel core. The wire is wound in a tightly controlled pattern, which maximizes the packing factor and reduces the volume. This results in a very efficient use of the magnetic materials and enables the electromagnet to generate very high levels of magnetic flux. Wire wound electromagnets are often used in applications where high levels of magnetic force are required, such as lifting heavy objects or providing a strong magnetic field for medical imaging.  
• They are also commonly used in generators and motors, where their high efficiency enables them to operate at high magnetic fields without overheating. When choosing an electromagnet for a particular application, it is important to consider the shortest first-unit delivery time, building from standard materials, utilizing standard tooling, and flexible options for heat dissipation. 

Foil Wound Electromagnets  

• Electromagnets that use a metal foil in place of a wire.  
• Foil wound electromagnets offer a unique combination of qualities that make them ideal for a wide range of applications. They are extremely precise, making them perfect for use in medical or scientific equipment. They are also very economical to build in larger quantities, making them ideal for industrial or commercial use. Capable of being water-cooled, they have a very compact weight and space-saving configuration. All of these qualities make foil wound electromagnets an excellent choice for a wide variety of applications. 
• Voice coils used in microphones and klystron solenoids are an example of foil wound electromagnets and are the most commonly used in commercial applications. 
• Foil wound electromagnets also excel in beam-focusing applications where axial field must be maximized while minimizing any transverse fields.  

Hollow Tube Electromagnets and Electromagnet Advantages 

• Electromagnets that have a hollow tube wrapped around a core of material. Hollow tube electromagnets are used where high current densities are required. Low conductivity water flows through the center of the conductor effectively cooling it.  
• Hollow tube electromagnets are widely used in applications requiring high power. The advantages of electromagnets over permanent magnets include the following: 
• Electromagnets can be turned on and off as needed. Permanent magnets are always on. Because electromagnets are not permanently magnetized, they do not suffer from demagnetization, which can reduce the strength of a permanent magnet over time. This allows for greater flexibility in their use.  
• Compared to permanent magnets, electromagnets can be made much stronger. This is because electromagnets are not limited by the material properties of permanent magnet material. Electromagnets can be used in a wide range of applications where a strong magnetic field is required. 
• The strength of a permanent magnet cannot be changed. The strength of an electromagnet can be easily controlled by changing the current flowing through it. This is not possible with a permanent magnet, which has a fixed magnetic field. Electromagnets can be made much larger than permanent magnets of comparable strength.  
• Electromagnets can be oriented in any direction. Permanent magnets have a fixed north and south pole that cannot be changed, while electromagnets can have their poles oriented in any direction. This is because electromagnets rely on an electric current to generate their magnetic field, while permanent magnets have a naturally occurring magnetic field. This means that electromagnets can be used in a wider range of applications than permanent magnets. For example, electromagnets can be used to create magnetic fields that are not axially symmetric, which is not possible with permanent magnets.  

With a wide range of capabilities and customization options, custom electromagnets are an ideal solution for many unique applications. If you’re looking for a powerful and versatile magnet that can be tailored to your specific needs, a custom electromagnet is the perfect choice.