There are several grades of neodymium commercially available ranging from N35 to N55 alongside high-temperature variations, but all these different letters and numbers can be confusing, and it starts with the letter ‘N’.
The grades all begin with ‘N’ for Neodymium but the number that follows is more technical as it represents the maximum energy product of the magnet, a measure of its strength. Simply, the higher the maximum energy product value, the greater the magnetic field the magnet will generate in particular applications.
A magnet of grade N42 has a Maximum Energy Product of Gauss 42 MGOe, while an N52, at 52 MGOe would be incrementally stronger.
Typically, higher grades should be used when the highest performance is needed and the available space for a magnet cannot be increased, otherwise, it may be more beneficial to use two N42 magnets compared to using one N52 magnet.
Sometimes you may see variations of the ‘N’ rating with one or two letters following the number, these denote high-temperature grades and will have a different maximum operating temperature.
The maximum operating temperature is the maximum temperature a magnet can withstand before it begins to lose its magnetism permanently, these ratings should always be treated as a guide value as other factors such as shape and size will also affect the performance of a magnet at high temperatures.
You can view the full table of different Neodymium grades in our information and articles within our tech centre.