Engaging and Disengaging Magnetism
I need a little help trying to determine the possibility of magnetizing and demagnetizing an object. My question is as follows:
Is it possible to line two different slabs of thick glass with magnetic strips that can be magnetized to one another for the purpose of holding them together where they do not separate without great opposing force but that can also be demagnetized for the purpose of pulling the two slabs apart?
If there is a way to demagnetize these slabs to allow them to be separated, by what process is this achieved? Is it a reaction that could be activated and deactivated by a button?
I am curious as to whether it is indeed possible for them to be disengaged by using a button and whether electromagnets are strong enough to hold two thick panels of glass together without them separating or repositioning.
Would they separate if the panels were to be dropped or would they stay in place? I ask because I have a very unique design concept for a device which would incorporate two different glass panels. I must add a microchip layer between the glass panels so as to incorporate a chargeable battery and an SD card. However, in using two glass panels as the back and front of the device, accessing the battery and SD card between these two panels must be as easy as accessing a battery or SD card on most smartphones today. This is why I am curious as to whether electromagnets would be strong enough to hold these two panels together without them coming apart or repositioning. This is also why I am curious as to whether dropping it would separate the pieces or whether they can be electronically demagnetized by button to provide easy access.
I would truly appreciate any insight and thank you for your time!
Can you also incorporate the use of a small vacuum pump into your scenario to hold the glass in place?
Many wafer Probe Stations use vacuum to hold even large wafer in place while operations are performed on the wafer.
Just trying to offer a solution that might be a little outside the box.
Jim
To hold together two "thick" glass slabs, I do not think you can find any remagnetizable material like steel. The good rare-earth magnets can do it (you do not say anything about glass thickness) but they cannot be de- or remagnetized "by a push button". Such neodymium magnets come already magnetized and I doubt it is easy to control their magnetization.
Also, such magnets are strong enough to break glass when they are approaching its opposite sides.
On the other hand, by combining one permanent magnet on one side and a strong electromagnet on the other side, you can control the attraction by reversing the electromagnet current. How thick the glass plates may be and how many permanent magnets you need, and how large electromagnet, you must find by experiment. To handle glass, I would use paper cushioning on the magnetic surfaces to prevent breaking.
Maybe you can combine vacuum with magnets as indicated above.