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10 Tips to Design with Magnets

Design for Manufacturing (DfM), Design for Sustainability, Magnetism, Materials, Mechanical Engineer, Product Design, Product Development, Prototyping, User-Centered Design

An extensive review of tips and examples to use when designing a new product with magnets and make use of all their properties without their drawbacks. Other alternatives to magnets will also be listed.

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Magnet Design Benefits

example of a speed game

example of steal protection

example of tile opening

Magnet Theory and Selection

No big physics here, but basic facts that should be known when selecting a magnet in a product design

attraction force & distance
shape:
duration:
price
resistance:
- against shock: very brittle
- against corrosion: good if the outer layer is coated and perfectly intact. Can be very poor if the magnet touches another metal (often the case!) and creates some galvanic corrosion with humidity

Magnet Drawbacks

costly if big or if made to order in small volumes
not super eco-friendly (rare metals, mix of metals, hard to separate intact when recycling)
fragile
force decreasing over time (depending on conditions)
heavy (metal on the two sides)

Magnet Alternatives

The “specs” of the magnet function to be replaced:

can attach or fix temporary another part, without any additional tool

(the “through walls” or “from a close distance” is not an option here, which only the magnet permits)

	Pros	Cons
velcro	thin not extreme temperature, but at least the ones of magnet cost-effective, simple, and reliable within its retaining force	no visually a “lean” & modern design… needs large surface
metal clips		hard to design user and visually friendly
plastic clips	cheap (if high volume to amortize the mold invest)	expensive if low production volume more space
latches / strap in		takes space
sticky paste or other temporary glues		would you reliably design with that?

Table of Contents

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Topics covered: magnet design, attraction force, magnet selection, magnet properties, magnet drawbacks, eco-friendly alternatives, design considerations, temporary attachment, magnet theory, corrosion resistance, shock resistance, production volume, cost-effectiveness, user-friendly design, retaining force, visual design, temporary glues, latches and straps.