A square magnet is a component that is a part of a diverse range of equipment and electronic gadgets. It is a part of circuit boards as well as magnetic locks and holding devices. The global demand of square magnets has steadily been rising globally and in 2022, 706,000 tonnes of permanent magnets were utilized. This figure will continue to rise in the coming years and will reach 860,000 tonnes by 2030, which is a 2.5% yearly growth.  The demand surge is driven by the expansion of various industrial sectors like automotive, electronics, and renewable energy, in which the square magnet is widely used in various products. For instance in the automotive sector a vehicle design and construction uses 100 permanent magnets.  The manufacturing industries will continue to expand and square magnets exporters face a challenge of handling the global demand while ensuring that their operating costs remain low. To accomplish this, they need to apply a much more strategic and measured approach to production, logistics, and supply chain management. In this blog, we will explore practical ways to make square magnets export more efficient and cost-effective, so let us dive right in.  Streamlining Raw Material Procurement  What makes the performance of the magnet worth it is its material construction, and getting top-quality material can raise production costs. Square magnets are constructed from neodymium (NdFeB), ferrite, or alnico. Neodymium is the most expensive of all the materials but also has the most powerful magnetic properties.  For exporters, these expensive prices can drastically impact profitability, and the best way to minimize such costs is to build strong supplier relationships with rare earth metal providers. These are mostly based in China since the global rare earth market is dominated by China with an 85 % market share. Making long-term contracts with fixed pricing or buying raw materials in bulk are some ways to ensure that business is not affected by price volatility.  Many applications don’t need a strong magnetism and for this using a cheaper substitute to neodymium such as ferrite or bonded magnet is another way to minimize material costs.  Enhancing Manufacturing Efficiency Manufacturing magnets is not an easy process and  involves multiple stages where the magnetic ore passes through several stages like powder metallurgy, pressing, sintering, coating, and cutting. To make this process more cost-effective, automation should be incorporated into the production process whenever it is possible. Additionally, waste management should also be done during manufacturing to avoid unnecessary waste. One way to reduce material wastage is to use CNC machining and laser cutting. Ensuring uniformity of size and shape in bulk customer orders will allow exporters to maximize the benefits of economies of scale and also reduce labor costs.  Quality control is another aspect that magnet manufacturers can improve to reduce rejections and returns that can have an effect on profits. Ensuring high tolerance requirements can reduce defective outputs.  Reducing Packaging and Costs Many exporters fail to consider packaging costs, but they can have a large impact on overall costs and compliance. Packaging should be such that it keeps the magnets in a fixed position during transit and also blocks their magnetic field since this field can interfere with signals so electronic equipment nearby.  Custom-fit protective casings are a convenient packaging solution since the packaging does not take up unnecessary space. Moreover, custom git packaging is not as bulky, which reduces packaging weight, and lesser weight means more fuel savings in transportation. Magnetic shielding should also be done using inexpensive steel inserts so that the packaging cost is less.  Another way to reduce packaging costs is to use automation in the packaging process. This will ensure fast packaging while enhancing productivity. Opting for eco-friendly packaging is also another strategy that can pay off as aligning with green regulations, particularly in European and North American markets, can result in duty rebates.  Leveraging Freight Consolidation and Trade Routes  Shipping costs can cut into profits, and this can be really serious for small or medium magnet exporters. A useful way to reduce expenses is freight consolidation, which involves combining multiple shipments in a single container. This can be accomplished by partnering with third-party logistics (3PLs), which specialize in magnet exports.  Deciding on a mode of transport that is not expensive is also vital. Air freight can be expensive even if it is really fast. Ocean transit is significantly cheaper. Planning production and operations around ocean shipping can result in much savings. And unless the order is urgent, ocean shipping is the better option.  Digitalizing Supply Chain and Documentation International trade requires documentation and paperwork, and custom documents take time, resulting in delays and disrupting the transit process. This can also result in unnecessary expenditure. By making document-making workflows digital through a cloud-based export management software. Other option is to partner with a freight agency can improve efficiency.  Automating processes like invoice generation, HS code classification, and electronic data interchange (EDI) with custom agencies can easily speed up operations and also reduce penalties, resulting in cost savings. Using digital tools in the supply chain can also give more real-time visibility to exporters, allowing them to respond promptly to any emergencies and minimize loss. Capitalizing on Free Trade Agreements Exporters should also look for avenues and chances to cut costs by following trade policies. Countries bound by Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)  or EU trade agreements usually give tariffs to magnetic products. Magnet exporters can benefit from such agreements and export magnets at zero tariffs. Many governments also offer export development programs which give much flexibility and ease to exporters by giving them opportunity to reclaim duties paid on imported raw materials once the finished goods are shipped abroad. Exporters can work with customs consultants to identify these opportunities and ensure compliance with documentation to benefit from them. Conclusion To export square magnets profitably in today’s competitive and cost-sensitive market entails more than merely lowering prices. It requires a strategic methodology throughout the value chain, ranging from resource procurement and production effectiveness to intelligent logistics and regulatory compliance.    Through packaging optimization, utilizing digital technologies, forming strategic freight collaborations, and capitalizing on trade agreements, exporters can decrease operational expenses while also creating a robust export enterprise.  Although the magnets may be compact, the chance to achieve a considerable effect on cost and efficiency is great—and exporters who adopt innovation and teamwork will be optimally positioned to thrive in the international market.   

Magnets have a significant contribution in the world we live in and many modern gadgets and technologies make use of magnets. Magnets are a core component of a diverse range of modern technologies. From motors to headphones, toys, and machinery, magnets are responsible for a range of functions, from generating motion to the conduction of current. Magnets can be broadly classified into three types:  • Permanent: One of the most common and recognizable examples of a permanent magnet is the fridge magnet that is stuck to your refrigerator door. These magnets have a magnetic force that does not depend on electrical power or any external magnetic source.  • Temporary: These magnets become magnets only when a magnetic field surrounds them. Once they are out of the scope of the magnetic field they stop acting like a magnet. Annealed iron and steel are classified as temporary magnets. A general phenomena that explains temporary magnetism is when the paper clips stick to each other if they are in the range of a permanent magnet.  • Electromagnet: These magnets need an electrical source to have magnetic properties. Once the electric current passes through the material, it generates an electric field. Electromagnets are used in many electronic devices like earphones, generators, motors, etc. Their magnetic force is really powerful, but it can be switched on and off by cutting or supplying electricity.  Magnets are made through various processes since there are several types of magnets which are made from a range of magnetic materials. However, the most popular magnetic materials are Samarium Cobalt (SmCo) and neodymium-iron-boron (neo), which are metal alloys. Let us take a detailed look at the manufacturing process of these magnets.  How Are Magnets Manufactured? The standard manufacturing procedure for making SmCo and neo magnets is through powdered metallurgy. The process involves the metal alloy being pulverized into a fine powder. After this it is compacted and subjected to a heating process to make it dense through a liquid phase sintering procedure.  Melting The process begins with the melting of raw materials in vacuum conditions within an induction melting furnace. In some cases, an inert gas is used to provide a neutral environmental condition for the melting process. Once the alloy has melted, it is poured on a chill plate or a mold. It can also be poured in a strip caster to make magnetic strips. The metal pieces are than crushed into a powder with particles that have a size of 3 to 7 microns. This fine metal alloy powder can catch fire easily and is reactive to oxygen, so it should be stored carefully.  Compaction The next step is compaction of the powder. Compacting of powder can be achieved through multiple techniques. The basic principle of compacting is aligning particles so in the final result all particles have the magnetic field in a particular direction. One compaction technique is transverse pressing. In this method the powder is kept in an enclosed cavity and punches enter the cavity to compress the powder. Before compaction begins, the powder is subjected to an aligning field. Through compaction, the alignment of the particles is fixed. The pressing can be parallel (axial) or perpendicular (transverse). In axial pressing the aligning field is parallel to compaction direction. While in transverse pressing the field in perpendicular to compaction direction. Transverse pressing is the better method because the alignment is more precise as the particles increase in length in the same direction as the magnetic alignment direction, and the resulting magnets have a higher magnetic strength. Another method for compacting is isostatic processing. This consists of filling a flexible container with powder. Then the container is sealed and subjected to an aligning force. The sealed container is placed in the isostatic press. The pressure to the sealed container is applied through means of a hydraulic fluid or water. The pressure is applied uniformly to all sides of the sealed container. This method of pressing is particularly suitable for making large sized magnets. The result is a powerful magnet since compaction pressure is applied uniformly.  Sintering  The pressed parts are packed and transferred to the next stage of manufacturing, which is the sintering furnace. The temperature and presence of vacuum in the furnace are set according to the type of magnet that is being produced. The rare metal alloys are heated and then allowed to densify. SmCo is further treated after sintering as well. Once the alloys cool down, they are tempered with heat on a lower setting. In the sintering process, the magnet shrinks in length. After sintering, the magnets have a rough texture, and the dimensions are not exact.  Finishing Sintered magnets are passed through a machining process, grinding them until the surface becomes smooth. The magnet material has a high hardness and diamond tipped wheel are required to cut it. The cutting and grinding should be done carefully so that the magnet does not chip or crack. Cylindrical shaped magnets are finished using axial or core drilling processes. These cylindrical magnets can be further sliced by different industries into washer shaped magnets.  As far as shape of magnets is concerned, the manufacturing process is suited to produce simple shapes ad complicated shapes are seldom generated because tolerance level in compex shaped processing is hard to achieve.  Neo magnets can become corroded so they are coated with an anti-corrosion layer. The anti-corrosion layer consists of sprayed epoxy. Other layer types include electrolytic nickel and aluminum IVD.  Magnetizing  Once the magnet is manufactured it also undergoes a charging process so that it can produce an external magnetic field. This is done by placing the magnet in a solenoid or through fixtures that give the magnet a unique magnetic pattern. The position and pattern of magnetic field depend on the application and should be discussed beforehand by the manufacturer.  Conclusion Although the process of making magnets is lengthy and requires much precision and a advanced technology it is well worth it since magnets can perform some of the most amazing of tasks effortlessly and without their presence we would not have the latest technologies that make our life so easy.