Which Electromagnet Design Works Best?

[Chronothread]

I have magnet wire and I have steel with extremely high iron content. I was just wondering, if I were using the same amount of wire and metal no matter how I built it and I were just making a straight cylindrical electromagnet, what would be the more powerful design? More towards the short and wide cylinder or more of a thin and long cylinder? Or is there some intermediate ratio that works better? If so, are the any suggestions for that general ratio? Or are these dimensions completely unimportant to the power of the magnet?

 

[TVP45]

It depends on what you want to do with it. Usually the long, thin one, but what's your job for it?

 

[Ronnin]

The strength is going to be proportional to the amount of windings/length, not just the amount of wraps. So if your looking for just a strong confined magnet focus your wraps in the narrowest section just remember you loose strength as you move away and further down your core.

 

[jfreak15]

I think the shorter more disk like shape is shorter for lifting the most weight but only with smooth surface.

 

[ray b]

is there any gain in useing a bar magnet over normal iron core
as long as you just want magnetic power and due not care about release

BTW what prevents the core from becoming a magnet anyway once the power is off
all be it much weaker then when the power is on

 

[Redbelly98]

I thought an iron core DID become a weak magnet after the power was shut off.