page_title: Neodymium magnet
section_title: Existing magnet applications
hierarchical_section_title: Neodymium magnet / Applications / Existing magnet applications
context_page_description: A neodymium magnet is the most widely used type of rare-earth magnet.
  It is a permanent magnet made from an alloy of neodymium, iron, and boron to form the Nd₂Fe₁₄B tetragonal crystalline structure. Developed independently in 1984 by General Motors and Sumitomo Special Metals, neodymium magnets are the strongest type of permanent magnet available commercially. Because of different manufacturing processes, they are divided into two subcategories, namely sintered NdFeB magnets and bonded NdFeB magnets. They have replaced other types of magnets in many applications in modern products that require strong permanent magnets, such as electric motors in cordless tools, hard disk drives and magnetic fasteners.
context_section_description: Neodymium magnets have replaced alnico and ferrite magnets in many of the myriad applications in modern technology where strong permanent magnets are required, because their greater strength allows the use of smaller, lighter magnets for a given application. Some examples are:
  Head actuators for computer hard disks
  Mechanical e-cigarette firing switches
  Locks for doors
  Loudspeakers and headphones
  Mobile phone speakers, taptic feedback and auto focus actuators
  Magnetic bearings and couplings
  Benchtop NMR spectrometers
  Electric motors: (Using neodymium magnets in electric motors can reduce their power consumption by half.)
  Cordless tools
  Servomotors
  Lifting and compressor motors
  Synchronous motors
  Spindle and stepper motors
  Electrical power steering
  Drive motors for hybrid and electric vehicles. The electric motors of each Toyota Prius require one kilogram (2.2 lb) of neodymium.
  Actuators
  Electric generators for wind turbines (only those with permanent magnet excitation)
  Alignment of nanocellulose chiral nematic suspensions to fabricate cellulose nanocrystals films with tuneable specular and off-specular optical response 
  Voice coil
  Retail media case decouplers
  In process industries, powerful neodymium magnets are used to catch foreign bodies and protect product and processes
caption: Most hard disk drives incorporate strong magnets
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