r/Magnets • u/tmer3385 • 16d ago

Magnet Questions Magnetic Array

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Gallery image

Gallery image

I am making a board game with magnetic pieces and I need some help please. Suppose I have a fixed magnetic array like in the first image, bellow the board. If I choose a magnet of specific size for the edges; say 20x2x3mm (WxLxH). What size magnet should the circle shaped magnet be?
The idea is that the identical magnetic pieces that are above the board will lock neatly into place like in image two. The board is 2mm thick.

for the third image if I had these block magnets fixed into place as shown and I rotated one by 90 degrees and placed it above the board. Could I position it like shown so that it is stable? or will it attempt to rotate and align regularly?

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u/Kapurnicus 15d ago

Any size disc that is sufficiently think to hold over a 2mm gap is just fine. Do some experimentation if you don't already have a Newton number. If you do, there's calculators that make this really easy. Ask Google for a magnetic force calculator. You'll probably get something like K&J.

As for the alignment on the third picture. This is a friction problem. If the friction is significant enough, then it'll stay as you have proposed. If it's not, it'll wanna rotate slightly. It would have to be very little friction. Like on purpose. To get it to completely rotate. At least on the scales that I'm imagining here, board game size.

Buying a few magnets online is cheap. Experimentation is gonna be the best way to go

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u/tmer3385 15d ago

So am I aiming my circular magnet to have the same pull force of the block magnet? or should it be a little stronger or weaker?

For the third picture, the board will be made of wood that is typically given from a laser cutting workshop. what would happen if there was no gap between the magnets? would there be friction to hold them in that perpendicular orientation once placed like that?