Possible to connect two electromagnets perfectly together?

[Bernardtai]

TL;DR Summary

Study to design a pair of electromagnets place on a pentagon plastic board, target both will connect perfectly to each others. even I twist it and it will still align with angle.

Mission: create a pair of electromagnets which always connects (angel) perfectly together.

Initially, I design with the following 3 ideas, could any design possible to achieve?

1) First idea is to separate 5 iron core, all close to the edge and connect to the battery source. this attempt is to align the iron core near all border.

I tried it with real magnet, but it is not always perfectly connect together.

2) Idea 2 is a big electromagnet with iron core in the shape of pentagon. but I think since ironcore has been magnetized, this has least chance to have perfect angel align.

idea 3 is to make an electromagnetic plate, which comes with the idea from real magnet, but real magnet needs to deal with the N/S connection, and if I use this solution, should I consider power too ?
Sorry I am very junior in this field. please kindly help to give me some idea.

 

[Baluncore]

Welcome to PF.
You have given examples of what does not work.
You have not yet described clearly what is required.
How many plastic pentagonal plates will you have?

 

[Merlin3189]

Your first idea looks best. Each side will join to any other side.
Pentagons do not tessellate, so when three are joined, there will be other stable alignments for a fourth (and more) where sides do not match.

I can't see why you would use electromagnets, rather than permanent magnets.

 

[Bernardtai]

Welcome to PF.
You have given examples of what does not work.
You have not yet described clearly what is required.
How many plastic pentagonal plates will you have?

hi, I have 2, and ultimately I want to make all 12 faces to make it 3d, but first I want to see if it works.

 

[Merlin3189]

..., but first I want to see if it works.

So what do you want it to do?

 

[Bernardtai]

Your first idea looks best. Each side will join to any other side.
Pentagons do not tessellate, so when three are joined, there will be other stable alignments for a fourth (and more) where sides do not match.

I can't see why you would use electromagnets, rather than permanent magnets.

Thanks for your suggestion, but first idea was tried with permanent magnets, but it is not a perfect fit.

I didnt put anything in calculation first since this is just a project for fun and want to make a magnet only connect in certain way. that's why I choose a pentagon.

 

[Bernardtai]

So what do you want it to do?

I want to have 2 electromagnet fit perfectly together even I twist the pentagon in any direction, it will always come back in perfect position.

actually I want to control the N/S pole thru electric so that pair of magnets can only align perfect.

 

[Baluncore]

So what do you want it to do?

Maybe make a regular dodecahedron out of pentagons, that is held together by magnets ?
Maybe magnetic polarity must work if individual pentagonal plates are rotated, and where any 3 pentagons meet.

 

[Bernardtai]

Maybe make a regular dodecahedron out of pentagons, that is held together by magnets ?
Maybe magnetic polarity must work if individual pentagonal plates are rotated, and where any 3 pentagons meet.

there are no rotation and nor make it magic move. just stay home and want to play this with my kids in my 3D printer. this is actually an idea by my son.

ultimately, i can make it as a dodehagon connect by magnets.

 

[Bernardtai]

I want to explore any design will do .. asking for suggestion.

 

[Baluncore]

... make it as a dodehagon ...

A dodecagon is a plane, twelve sided, plane polygon. Probably not what you want.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodecagon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodecahedron

 

[Merlin3189]

Well it sounds as if it could work.
I still can't see any advantage of electromagnets (but some disadvantages). You want the poles in the right place, near the corners as you've shown in the first plan, but whether the iron is energised by a permanent magnet or a coil. seems irrelevant.
I think shaped iron pole pieces would help, A rather than B.
If you used small Neodymium magnets, small pole pieces in the corners, like C, would be smaller.

Picture edited

 

[Bernardtai]

A dodecagon is a plane, twelve sided, plane polygon. Probably not what you want.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodecagon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodecahedron

yes .. thanks for clarification.

 

[Bernardtai]

Well it sounds as if it could work.
I still can't see any advantage of electromagnets (but some disadvantages). You want the poles in the right place, near the corners as you've shown in the first plan, but whether the iron is energised by a permanent magnet or a coil. seems irrelevant.
I think shaped iron pole pieces would help, A rather than B.
If you used small Neodymium magnets, small pole pieces in the corners, like C, would be smaller.
https://www.physicsforums.com/attachments/259441

THIS IS Interesting !

actually the reason of using electromagnets because I fail to use a simple magnet to do it.. and since it has 5 edge only, the N/S is not even...

your suggestion is interesting, a magnet between an Iron. but if i make a pair of it, will it really connect perfectly when I twist it ?

 

[Merlin3189]

You do need two poles on each edge. Then all edges are the same, a N pole and a S pole.
The body of the electromagnet (or of a bar magnet) plays no part. It's the poles that matter.

I've added corner D with two magnets. I've put an iron filler between them, but that is optional.