Ι What Are AlNiCo Bar Magnets?
AlNiCo, short for Aluminum-Nickel-Cobalt, is a non–rare earth metallic permanent magnet material mainly composed of Aluminum (Al), Nickel (Ni), Cobalt (Co), and Iron (Fe), with small additions of elements such as Titanium (Ti), Niobium (Nb), and Copper (Cu) to fine-tune coercivity. Before rare earth permanent magnets were developed, AlNiCo magnets held a leading position in the permanent magnet industry thanks to their stable performance and good temperature characteristics.
AlNiCo bar magnets are one of the most basic forms of AlNiCo magnets. They are similar to AlNiCo block magnets but have a more elongated rectangular profile. They are typically defined by length, width, and thickness, with the first two dimensions noticeably larger than the thickness. Almost all AlNiCo bar magnets are produced by casting, mainly for cost and efficiency reasons. These magnets are widely used in musical instruments—especially pickups—and in educational and demonstration settings.
