Category Archives: News
Polymagnets™ – Magnets Designed with a Purpose
CMR collaborated with NASA to develop Polymagnets™ composed of 0.6” thick Samarium Cobalt (SmCo) for a magnetic coupler from 2020 to 2022. These Polymagnets™ were tested (attachment, shear, and torque forces) and retained force and function at temperatures above 140⁰C and below -180⁰C!
The article below was published by NASA Armstrong regarding this coupler; the original article is on page 58 at https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/2021-afrc-rte-report.pdf.
Dust-Tolerant Magnetic Coupler for Cryogenic Fluids for Space Applications
This research effort is developing a prototype for a dust-tolerant cryogenic magnetic coupler for lunar applications. The functional prototype demonstrated the integration of three subsystems: a cryogenic fluid coupler, patterned magnets, and dust mitigation. This innovation has the potential to fulfill multiple gaps associated with cryogenic fluid transfer and dust-mitigation technologies. It received a FY2021 Early Career Initiative (ECI) award and will receive $2.5 million over two years to support its work.
Work to date: The team collaborated with NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to develop a cryogenic low force disconnect (LFD) coupler that will enable transference of cryogenic fluid in a lunar representative environment. This coupler has an innovative design that enables the two halves to be connected with minimal force. This research is supporting the continued development of NASA Kennedy’s LFD technology, developed initially under a Center Innovation Fund (CIF) award. The magnetic subsystem involves the use of patterned magnets (Polymagnets™) developed by Correlated Magnetics Research, an external vendor. These Polymagnets™ are tailored to achieve a desired behavior and deliver stronger local force. Conventional magnets generally have far-reaching and weak magnetic fields, whereas printed magnetic poles keep magnetic loops tight and strong. Reduced magnetic field distance also reduces electromagnetic interference (EMI) concerns. The magnetic technology used in this project was also originally studied under an Armstrong CIF award, and this ECI funding has allowed the team to continue to advance the technology.
The erosive and abrasive nature of lunar regolith dust can cause severe damage to equipment and systems. It can degrade coatings used to seal equipment and erode surfaces. The dust mitigation subsystem aims to protect the cryogenic fluid from dust contamination and the coupler’s mechanisms from damage.
Looking ahead: System integration and testing will occur at NASA Armstrong, Kennedy, and Marshall Space Flight Center.
Benefits:
- Innovative: Combines an LFD coupler that requires less force to mate coupler halves with Polymagnets™ that customize force as needed per project
- Protective: Shields cryogenic coupler and fluid from dust contamination
Applications:
- Transference of cryogenic fluid in a lunar environment
Thank you, all 1.5+ M of you!
By Andy Keane, CEO | March 28
All it took was an enthusiastic engineer, Destin Sandlin, explaining Smart Magnets on a popular website, SmarterEveryday.com. And…nearly 1.5 million YouTube views in days.
At CMR we are grateful today for your interest, enthusiasm and outpouring of ideas on how to use Polymagnets.
Sandlin’s passionate enthusiasm for magnets, engineering, tech and science shine through in the piece where he calls the technology a “game changer” and says, “Polymagnets give new, unique, crazy behaviors [to new products] by manipulating magnetic fields. You’ve never seen anything like it.”
Destin dives into a discussion of patterned magnets, tight versus loose magnetic fields and circuits, to understand how Polymagnets can be “programmed” for unprecedented behaviors such as attraction and repulsion in the same axis. He marvels at how this creates a “spring” where two objects are pulled together until they get very close. Then, they repel so they don’t actually touch, they stop and hover a few millimeters away from one another.
“A new kind of shock absorber,” wrote one commentator.
Then Destin shows his engineering colleagues a pair of Polymagnet Smart Magnets that, when one is rotated (like a doorknob), suddenly lock together. They are beyond intrigued. “You can create incredible three-dimensional behaviors.” Destin adds.
The video concludes with “The entire foundation of magnetic circuit design technology just changed.”
And you are the ones to create exciting new products.
For more, subscribe to the SmarterEveryDay YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/
Design is Make or Break, and Keyssa’s Cool
By Andy Keane, CEO |
Returning from CES, where around 22,000 products were announced, I was reminded again of the immense size and scope of the CE marketplace – and its ferocious competitiveness. The explosive growth in CE challenges the designer to build a product that will stand out both in features and user experience.
Blah products become commodities in the world of CE faster than a pack of 50 teenagers can condemn them on SnapChat and sentence them to death in the marketplace.
Let’s look at laptops, which so often break at those connectors. Connectors are the bane of electronics, and cause many premature device deaths. You’re at Starbucks working away, when the decaf latte at the next table stands up and snags your power cord, yanking and ruining your connector. Connectors are designed to make trouble, and they do deliver!
We’ve Moved!
We’ve Moved!
Huntsville, AL, February 7, 2016 – Update your contacts, Correlated Magnetics Research has moved its Huntsville location to:
101 Quality Circle NW, Suite 150
Huntsville, AL 35806
Meet the Smart Magnets That Hold Your 2-in-1 Together
By Avram Piltch, LAPTOP Online Editorial Director |
LAS VEGAS — You probably haven’t heard of Polymagnets, but if you’ve laid hands on one of today’s detachable 2-in-1s, there’s a good chance you’ve used them. The product of Correlated Mangetics Research (CMR), these “smart” magnets use complex patterns to provide just the right feel when you’re trying to snap a tablet into its keyboard base.
These magnets also have enough attractive power to hold a fairly heavy object, such as a smartphone or tablet, in place–even if you shake it. Up until now, this innovative technology was previously only available to large buyers, but this month the company has launched an online store, targeting makers and small businesses who may only need a few magnets at a time.
First Smart Magnet Design Website Now Available at polymagnet.com
Correlated Magnetics Research launches online tool for designers to optimize the selection of Smart Magnets
CAMPBELL, Calif., Jan. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Correlated Magnetics Research (CMR), the inventor of Polymagnet smart magnet technology, today launched the world’s first Polymagnet Smart Magnet online design tool and catalog at www.polymagnet.com.
“Developing with Smart Magnets is relatively new to most product designers and mechanical engineers,” said Andy Keane, CEO of CMR. “So we created a place where developers of all types can discover the wide variety of Smart Magnet behaviors and combinations. Our online selection tool quickly narrows down design options and puts real engineering data in the hands of designers.”
Polymagnet Smart Magnets are extremely strong and can be combined to create nearly endless combinations of active magnetic behaviors such as springs, latches and alignment. These behaviors can be adopted to create rich, one of a kind product experiences that that captivate the user’s senses and create a sophisticated or elegant feel.
The online tool from Correlated Magnetics aids in the selection of Smart Magnets based on shape, behavior and technical fit using measured magnetic data to facilitate the creative process of designing novel magnetic solutions.
Added Keane, “Polymagnet Smart Magnets are found in tablets, laptops, and other devices from leading consumer electronics manufacturers’ today, but the potential to add value to a vast array of products from has barely been tapped. Putting our entire catalog of Polymagnets online for immediate direct purchase makes it effortless for product designers to experiment and build prototypes.”
To learn more about the flexibility of designing with Polymagnets, download the whitepaper at http://www.polymagnet.com/media/WP-PolyMagnets-Advanced.pdf or to begin designing, visit the Polymagnet www. http://catalog.polymagnet.com/.
About Correlated Magnetics Research and Polymagnets
Correlated Magnetics Research is the inventor of Polymagnet smart magnet technology for consumer and industrial applications. CMR’s Polymagnet process and Polymagnet Catalog of advanced magnetic functions deliver unprecedented functionality for permanent magnets in a wide variety of convenient sizes and forms – allowing product designers to customize the behavior, function, and feel of new products using smart magnets. Polymagnets are available for fast prototyping through the Polymagnet Catalog and in high volume from CMR’s production facility in China. CMR was formed in 2008 and has received more than 120 patents for its innovations in magnetic technology. Learn more at www.polymagnet.com.
Polymagnet is a trademark of Correlated Magnetics Research. All other trademarks and tradenames referenced are the property of their respective owners.
Correlated Magnetics Introduces Smart Magnet Kits for Tablet and Mobile Accessories
Correlated Magnetics Introduces Smart Magnet Kits for Tablet and Mobile Accessories
CMR Smart Polymagnets Simplify the Design of Sleek Magnetic Attachment for Consumer Electronics and Peripherals
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Correlated Magnetics Research today announced the launch of a new product line of smart Polymagnet kits for product designers for attaching tablet covers, keyboards and mobile accessories with ease and precision. These new Polymagnets are available in CMR’s Polymagnet catalog.
For companies developing peripherals for existing tablets, kits include pre-engineered single-piece Polymagnets and specifications detailing how to design a Polymagnet-equipped accessory for a specific size of device. Kits are available for typical tablet types as well as the Apple iPad and iPad Mini. For companies developing new tablets, kits include pre-engineered Polymagnets for embedding in the base units plus matching Polymagnets for peripherals.
Press Release: Introducing Hooked on Paint™, the First Product Line of Magnets for Magnetic Paint
Introducing Hooked on Paint™, the First Product Line of Magnets for Magnetic Paint
New Technology Creates the World’s Strongest Magnets, Letting
Consumers Hang & Rearrange Frames & Art with Confidence & Ease
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. –Correlated Magnetics Research today announced the launch of Hooked on Paint (www.hookedonpaint.com), a new product line of magnets designed specifically to work in tandem with magnetic paint, which creates a magnetic surface on virtually any painted wall or surface.
These new magnets promise to be a game changer in the home decor and interior design space. Decorating enthusiasts and interior design pros finally have a magnetic hanging product to realize the potential of magnetic walls for easy, flexible hanging solutions in the home and office.
Press Release: Correlated Magnetics Demonstrates Fully Customizable Magnetic Sensors For Consumer Products at CES
Sensor Demonstrations Developed in Partnership with Leading Sensor Electronics Company AKM Semiconductor
LAS VEGAS, Nevada, CES 2015, January 12, 2015 – At the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2015, Correlated Magnetics Research (CMR) demonstrated a novel approach to magnet sensor controls for consumer products. In combination with AKM Semiconductor, the leader in smart magnetic sensors, CMR highlighted the powerful combination of smart sensors with software-defined magnets that provide customization not possible with current technology.
CMR CEO Demonstrates Technology and New Products in TV Interview
Correlated Magnetics Research’s CEO, Andy Keane, appeared this week on ABC TV station WAAYTV. In his interview, he discussed the company’s recent success in patents, a new product the company is launching and a new application being demonstrated at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Watch the video or click here to read the article.
Press Release: Correlated Magnetics Research Achieves 120th Patent
Milestone for Programmable Magnet Technology
Novel Magnetic Technology Turns Ordinary Magnets into Polymagnets with Programmable Feel and Unique Functions
December 3, 2014 (Huntsville, AL) – Correlated Magnetics Research (CMR) announced today that it has passed the milestone of 120 issued domestic and international patents for its programmable magnet technology. The six year-old company now has 121 issued patents and an additional 58 patent applications on file in the US, Europe and Asia.
CMR’s process technology transforms ordinary magnets into precision-tailored magnetic systems called Polymagnets®. Unlike conventional magnets that typically have just one north and one south pole, Polymagnets have a pattern of many magnetic regions. The precisely engineered fields of Polymagnets enable a wide range of new functionality for magnets and new magnetic solutions – far beyond simple attract or repel.
Popular Mechanics: This Is Awesome: Printing Your Own Magnets (Video)
The Mini MagPrinter could become the coolest tool to hit maker spaces since 3D printing. It churns out custom magnets using technology that won its creator, Correlated Magnetics Research, a 2010 Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Award. The new Mini is half the size of the original MagPrinter, and it helps product designers prototype their inventions using magnets that have novel behaviors. While most magnets have only one north pole and one south pole, the Mini encodes multiple poles across a magnet’s surface using a focused electromagnetic field. By tailoring the arrangement of the poles and subsequently controlling the magnetic forces, users can create coilless springs, frictionless gears, specialized latches, and even products that self-assemble.
TechCrunch: Correlated Magnetics Research Brings MaxField Polymagnets To A Wall Near You (Video)
Apr 1, 2014 (Huntsville, Ala.) – Now, you may have seen the countless Pinterest images out there of children’s nurseries covered with metallic paint that will allow alphabet magnets to stick to the wall. That’s nothing new, however, according to Stephen Straus, VP of Commercialization and Strategy at Correlated Magnetics Research, typical consumer magnets will not stick very well. Definitely not well enough to hold up anything with any kind of mass.
Press Release: Correlated Magnetics Polymagnet Catalog now available through Amazing Magnets
Press Release: Correlated Magnetics Polymagnet Catalog now available through Amazing Magnets
Complete Polymagnet® catalog of magnet designs available for the first time from online wholesaler Amazing Magnets
March 5, 2014 (Anaheim, Calif.) – Correlated Magnetics Research (CMR) and Amazing Magnets LLC announce the formation of a retail partnership for online access to CMR’s Polymagnet® catalog. Amazing Magnets can quickly deliver these advanced magnet products for prototyping and production because of their extensive stock of high-quality magnetic materials and new Polymagnet production capacity. Anaheim-based Amazing Magnets supports fast and economical production of standard and custom Polymagnet designs.
AL.com: New Hope-based Correlated Magnetics Research’s ‘amazing and slightly spooky’ magnets get attention (Video)
NEW HOPE, Alabama ‘ In only five years, New Hope-based Correlated Magnetics Research, which creates programmable magnets, has acquired 79 patents for an innovative product that can change “polarity and strength on a whim.”
TechCrunch: Alabama-Based CMR Demos Programmable Magnets That Changes Polarity And Strength On A Whim (Video)
Magnets are pretty basic – some poles attract, some repel, and you can use them to hold stuff up on your fridge. However, what happens when magnets can be “programmed” to react in different ways? Huntsville, Ala.-based Correlated Magnetics Research has some magnets that can do some amazing – and slightly spooky – things.
These magnets can “hold together” while still not touching, release from each other with a twist, and even act as a sort of magnetic motor. In one cool demo Stephen Straus, VP of CMR, shows us magnets that repel each other from a certain distance and then, when pushed close enough, snap together. Before you run away screaming “perpetual motion machine,” understand that the laws of physics still apply.
President Obama Gets Demonstration of Correlated Magnetics Technology
Correlated Magnetics was one of only a select few companies chosen to present to President Obama when he visited tech incubator Capital Factory in Austin, TX on a jobs tour on May 9, 2013.