Latest news

  • Updated team at Hirst

    With the sudden and unexpected Death of John Dudding the previous managing director. Hirst have re-organised their senior management team. A new addition to the company is Graham Snow the new Marketing and Sales director.

    John Camacho – Managing Director.

    He has been with Hirst for a number of years in a senior position. With extensive experience working as a finance and systems manager he enjoys challenging work and have gained much knowledge by working in multi-cultural and international environments

    Dr Robin Cornelius – Technical Director.

    He has been with Hirst for over 20 years and his PhD was on Pulsed Field Magnetometry. Robin specialises in magnetic field simulation and modelling, Electronics and high voltage systems and software engineering.

    Dr James Clewett – Operations Director

    I am a statistical physicist and mathematician with an interest in universal behaviour in complex systems. Recent work has addressed the question: is there a master curve for magnetic material hysteresis loops.

    Graham Snow – Marketing and Sales Director

    Ex Royal Navy engineer with 25 years in sales.
    Experienced in marine sales and account management.
    Internal, external and field sales have been my strong point working for SME’s and large OEM.

  • John Dudding

    Suddenly on Tuesday 11th May 2021, John aged 65 years of Falmouth. Dearest son of Molly, beloved husband of Julie, loving father of Jack, Bethany, Lamorna and Mawgan, much loved grandfer of Jonah and Erwin, treasured brother of Kim and uncle of Barrie and Ocean.

    John had been Managing Director of Hirst since 1986. He had seen a number of changes and revolutions in magnetiser and magnet measurement techniques. Including introducing the first microprocessor controlled magnetisers in the 1980s and his mission was to get the Pulse Field Magnetometer as an internationally accepted standard for the measuring of magnets. John devoted is career to the development and research of PFMs. This research and the work on international standards still continues with Hirst.

  • Hirst announce the PFM08 at the UK Magnetics Society conference

    https://ukmagsoc.org/events/magnetisation-measurement/

    Hirst’s Pulse Field Magnetometry and Open to Closed Measurement Technologies
    by John Dudding, Robin Cornelius, & James Clewett of Hirst Magnetics

    Hirst’s history of practical, innovative magnetising and material parameter testing techniques is coupled to its long term aim of reinterpreting the open magnetic circuit measurements of magnet materials. Hirst’s 25 year development of Pulse Field Magnetometry (PFMs) led to the writing of IEC Technical Report TR62331 and is currently leading the international team working on the new International Standard IEC 60404 part 18 detailing the PFM technique. Hirst has overcome many of the perceived limitations of the PFM technique but the ultimate goal has always been to use the PFM technique to provide accurate, repeatable and fast Permeameter, (BH Tracer,) closed circuit like results for engineering and quality control. As well as a brief overview of its magnetising technologies which have also made progress, Hirst will describe the workings of PFMs, the limitations of the Permeameters and also its new PFM process*, enabling Open to Closed (O2C**) measurements of rare earth permanent magnet material and finished magnets in industrial shapes. This process enables, fast, repeatable measurements, between +210 °C and -40 °C with an accuracy currently under a confirmation review in an active joint project with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) Open to Closed measurement is expected to open a new era in the magnetic measurement of magnetic materials at a time when efficiency is powering our Green Technology revolution. Shaped pre magnetised components will at last have a pre-assembly and pre magnetisation QA capability. Patent applied for. ** Registered Trade Mark

    PFM08 Magnet characterisation system
    Hirst new PFM08 Pulsed Field Magnetometer
  • Hirst win the Institute of Physics Business Innovation Award 2020

    Hirst has now developed a significant advance of the PFM process with mathematical support from the University of Exeter. These new PFM self demagnetisation field function (SDFF) units allow closed-circuit magnetic measurements to be made in open-circuit circumstances, something which has not been possible before. 

    This is an essential step needed for the characterisation of actual production magnets prior to assembly and magnetisation. 

    This is an industry first and solves a high-value industrial market challenge.

    This technology extends the PFM open-loop process, allowing closed-loop measurements to be made by using a proprietary new field interpretation model operating on a proven technology platform.

    This enables a high-yield volume permanent magnet motor manufacturing supply chain and quality assurance operations worldwide. 

    The SDFF technique can be applied to all ‘open’ magnet characterisation techniques, in the laboratory or factory, where it can offer potentially 100% yields by ensuring that every magnet in the assembly has the same, specified characteristics required by the application.

    Essentially this advance enables a high-yield volume manufacturing of permanent magnet-based products, ahead of other techniques.

    https://www.iop.org/hirst-magnetic-instruments