Posted: 4/7/2005 11:50:22 AM EDT
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Im wanting to buy some super strong magnets. But I dont understand the grading system. I see some which are "grade 36" and "grade n38" "grade n40" etc, etc. What does that mean? How do I read the grading system. And what are the strongest magnets I can buy? |
The permanent magnet simply holds the projectile on the rail when the gun is powered down. Otherwise if you carry the gun pointed at the ground the projectile will fall out! |
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Nope. You send a massive pulse of current through windings that generate a magnetic field either ahead of your projectile or behind it to either push or pull it. The force generated accelerates the projectile down the rail. No permanent magnets, just the windings and a whole lot of current. Here's a pretty extensive write-up on rail-gun design: www.powerlabs.org/railgun.htm Interestingly, at the bottom of that page the fellow talks about using some permanent magnets to augment the field... So, I was apparently wrong and permanent magnets may have a use in rail-guns outside of the actual projectiles... 
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Epsilon, sorry for the hijack (it was unintentional.) Here's a page that lists different grades of magnets and their properties: www.magnetapplications.com/UK/material_guide.htm Hope that helps. 
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We ALL knew you were wrong and were waiting for you to admit it 
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