Handling the brittle magnets during manufacturing often leads to chipped edges and rejected parts. And if the installed magnet or just a fragment of it falls into the motor while it's running, results can be catastrophic. To eliminate the risk of such accidents, engineers at Weber Plastics, Fairport, N.Y., have developed a magnet carrier made of high-temperature thermal composites. The carriers can hold one or several magnets securely and precisely in place inside molded cavities. The carriers, called Magsets, then slide onto the motor housing. Magsets can be molded in a variety of configurations. For example, one end can have a sealed cap with an integrated bearing, while the other holds connectors, and features for locating and mounting other parts. This minimizes part counts by combining several parts, such as mountings for brush cards, timers, and other hardware, right on the magnet carrier.

Magsets reduce assembly time for motors, and give engineers a new approach to motor design. With an unlimited range of sizes and shapes, Magsets can be used to reduce motor size, or even make square motors.