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electric
motors drives
Implications of rare-earth magnet cost
reduction
High-Power Electric Drives benefit from cheaper rare-earth
magnets
Feb 2003 $1000, €1000, ¡ê600
Our June 2002 report describes a new route that offers potential
for significantly lower cost rare-earth magnets. This will
be of particular interest to the purchasers of magnets ¨C
such as electric motor and drive manufacturers - in their
quest to:
? Gain a price-performance edge over other competitors who
are using rare earth magnets in their drives.
? Displace conventional magnets and open up cost-effective
routes to drives for the emergent electric vehicle market.
Our analysis indicates, for example, that the cost of manufacture
of dense neodymium-based magnets may be reduced by up to $15
per kilogramme of finished unit. The new process is based
on the electrolysis of mixed metal oxides to produce one-step
alloys, and has already attracted substantial R&D money
from the US Navy.
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