Nagoya, March
6, 2000 - Today Aichi Steel developed the world's first cobalt-free production process for
neodymium based non-isotropic magnetic powder here and has launched a new plastic magnet
(called Magfine 18/20) that uses this magnetic powder. The process reduces the price of
the plastic magnet by up to 50 percent compared with the conventional plastic magnet
produced with the traditional process of using cobalt.
Not only does the new process (called the d-HDDR method) reduce costs. The product's
magnetic intensity is nearly one third stronger and has a upper working temperature limit
140℃ higher than the conventional type. Moreover,
the new magnet reduces energy use in motors of electric appliances by 30 percent and
miniaturizes the motor for information processing equipment by 30 percent. The company
expects the product to be applied in motors for electric cars in the near future.
Aichi Steel has been test-marketing the new product in limited numbers since 1999 and is
now ready to launch the plastic magnet on a commercial basis. The new production plant of
magnetic powder and plastic magnets has a capacity of five tons per month. |
