Magnets and Their Uses in Various Industries

by E-Commerce Solutions October 18, 2020

Magnets, just like computers, have proven over the years to be highly versatile tools and are used in a variety of sectors and industries for a variety of uses. Below are some of those industries and their uses.

Industries that Use Magnets and What They Use Them For

1. Mining Industry

Since the mining process usually produces essentially as many impurities as it does metals in extracted metallic ores, it is important to separate the actual metals from these impurities. Since most metals are magnetic and non-metals are not, magnets are a cost-efficient and easy way to separate these precious metals from the unwanted impurities. They are also used to collect the fine particles of metals that have been scattered during the blasting process by separating them from the non-metallic debris and dust.

2. Food and Pharmaceutical Industries

Just like in the mining industry, magnets are used in the food and pharmaceutical industry to collect metals. Unlike in the mining industry, however, the metals collected by magnets in these industries are the impurities.

In the food and pharmaceutical industries, magnets are used to remove tiny metal particles from the foods and drugs being produced since these tiny particles could be toxic once ingested.

3. Tech Industry

The tech industry has to be the industry with the most vital use for magnets. One of the most popular uses of magnets here is for data storage. This application is the basis of so many storage devices, including cassettes, floppy discs, and even computer hard disks.

Another use of magnets is the conversion of electrical signals to sound, and this is how sound is created through sound speakers, phones, laptops, and headphones.

4. Financial Industry

The financial industry is yet another industry where magnets have been utilized to brilliant effect. This application of magnets comes in the form of debit and credit cards. These cards function as a form of magnetic storage ─ information is stored on them magnetically and can then be read at a later date by the appropriate readers. In fact, these cards work essentially in the same way hard drives, diskettes, and tapes work.

Magnets in the transport industry are also employed for various uses. First, they are used for sweeping roads and airport runways of scrap metals, which could cause damage to vehicle tires. They are also the basis for maglev (magnetic levitation) transportation, a method of (train) transportation that uses two sets of magnets, one for repelling the train and making it hover over the tracks and the other for moving the hovering train at great speeds.

6. Electric Power Industry

Magnets are also used in the production of electricity. They are an important component in the conversion of mechanical energy to electricity in so many generators.

7. Security Sector

Magnets, or at the very least the principle of magnetism, are utilized in the security sector for the creation of metal detectors. While metal detectors don't basically contain magnets, they utilize electricity flowing through transmitter coils to create a magnetic field. This practically makes them temporary magnets. This magnetic field is what detects metals.

8. Medicine and Research

Magnets also find uses in the field of research. Being a vital part of medical equipment like the MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imagin) machine as well as research equipment like particle accelerators.

Impressive right? And those are not even all either. Magnets have been used for so much more want to find out more and are even finding newer applications from time to time! Want to find out more about how magnets are used? Why not check out our other blogs on magnets, how they work, and their uses.

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