Generation 8 Hirst Pulsed Field Magnetometers (PFM)

The PFM08 range of magnet characterisation magnetometer can rapidly and accurately measure the magnetic hysteresis loop and extract key values for all high-grade permanent magnetic materials such as NdFeB, SmCo, Ferrite and all coated magnets. With a maximum field of 10.5T (8356 kA/m / 105 kOe) even the most coercive materials and highest grades of NdFeB or SmCo can be measured, while traditional permeameters cannot measure these high coercivity materials due to pole piece saturation limitations. The 8th generation of PFMs from Hirst uniquely feature the eddy current correction (patented F-2F algorithm), Self-Demagnetisation Field (SDF) correction function (to allow accurate measurement of a wide range of samples from cylinders, cuboids and arbitrary sample shapes), and Hirst proprietary Self De-magnetisation Field Function SDFF™ (patented) which accurately generates an open to closed circuit mapping (O2C™). The first generation of Hirst industrial PFM was launched in 1998 and the company won an Institute of Physics business award for the SDFF™ technology in 2020. Thus generation 8 PFMs give permeameter-like measurements for the highest grades of magnets to within 1% on permeameter reference measurements. HirstLab v2.0 software and Hirst proprietary SDFF™ technology has been implemented in collaboration with the National Institute of Metrology (NIM), Beijing, as part of a contract for the first 8th generation PFM placed by NIM.

For sales in China contact Jian He of NIM or for rest of the world contact [email protected]

Generation 8 PFMs delivering fast and repeatable measurements of key magnet parameters.

PFM 8th generation – rev 2Download
Key benefits
  • All high-grade permanent magnets can be fully characterised such as NdFeB (inc AH), SmCo, hard Ferrites and coated magnets
  • Full 4 quadrant measurement of magnetic hysteresis loops
  • The PFM contains an integral capacitive discharge magnetiser (and demagnetiser) producing a field of over 10T meaning the highest grades of permanent magnetic material can be tested (which is not possible on traditional permeameters) thus can test samples that are magnetised or unmagnetised
  • User friendly HirstLab v2.0 software for fast precise measurements
    • HirstLab v2.0 software automatically extracts critical parameters: Remanence: Br, Coercivity: HcJ, HcB, Maximum energy product: BHMax, Saturation values: Hsat, Jsat, Squareness Coefficients: Hk, Hk/HcJ,Hd (Hd2, Hd5, Hd10) and Saare all automatically extracted from every measurement and displayed separately alongside JH and BH loops.
    • Any shape : cylinders, cuboid, and arbitrary shapes with built-in Self-Demagnetisation Field (SDF) shape correction function.
    • Unique Self Demagnetisation Field Function SDFF™ in HirstLab v2.0 which accurately generates an open-to-closed circuit mapping (O2C™) for the magnet sample giving accurate closed loop magnet parameters. Generation 8 PFMs give permeameter-like measurements for the highest grades of magnets
  • The PFM08 revision 2 hardware platform features the lowest measurement noise achieved to date on Hirst PFMs and interchangeable pick-up coil sets to offer the highest sensitivity for specific sample sizes this allows a range of sample sizes to be repeatably tested from 1x1x1mm to 70mm
  • Precision sample temperature measurement with integral high precision sample temperature control:
    • Stabilised ambient temperature measurements on all models from 17oC to 28 oC
    • High temperatures up to +220°C on HT models
    • Low temperatures down to –40oC for the PFM08-40 MT 
  • Temperature control precision better than ±0.2°C for ambient measurements
  • Repeatability better than ±0.2% at ambient temperature for HcJ and Br on standard samples
  • Meets IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) TR-62331 specifications for permanent magnets which is a non-destructive testing method.
Applications
  • Designed for characterisation of hard magnetic materials in both production control and research applications. for all permanent magnet materials (Ferrite, NdFeB, SmCo, AlNiCo) including high grade NdFeB coated samples
  • These PFMs are ideal for high-speed production testing and quality control with users being able to achieve test times of less than a minute
  • The optional small sample kits available on PFM08-10 and PFM08-40 to test samples down to 1x1x1mm for grain boundary diffusion (GBD) magnets testing
  • Thin sample mode for accurate measurement of 1mm thick slices on PFM08-10 and PFM8-40 often used for GBD magnet development and testing
  • The large sample PFM08-40 HT support quality control applications in EV manufacture with samples sizes up to 40mm and the PFM08-70 HT for samples up to 70mm diameter
  • Some high temperature versions support measurement up to 220oC for development and quality control.
  • Low temperature versions support measurements down to -40oC for materials research