Magnetic catches are used in a wide range of applications. You can find them on doors, cabinets, vehicles, electronic enclosures and more. Even if you’re unfamiliar with them, you’ve probably used a magnetic catch before. What are magnetic catches exactly?
Overview of Magnetic Catches
A magnetic catch is a latching mechanism that uses a magnetic force to hold two objects together. Most magnetic catches consist of an armature plate and a magnet. The magnet is installed on one object, whereas the armature plate is installed on the other object. After installing both components, a magnetic force will hold the two objects together. You can then separate the joined objects by pulling them away from each other, thus breaking the magnetic force.
Benefits of Using Magnetic Catches
While there are other hardware solutions available to hold objects together, magnetic catches offer several benefits. For starters, they are easy to install. You just have to install the magnet on one object and the armature plate on the other object. Most magnetic catches feature holes for screws. You can drive screws into the magnet and armature plate to install them on the appropriate objects.
Magnetic catches are long-lasting. Magnetics can and do lose their magnetism — but this isn’t something that happens overnight. It can take many years or even decades for a magnet to lose its magnetism. As a result, magnetic catches are long-lasting.
How to Choose Magnetic Catches
There are several things to consider when choosing magnetic catches, one of which is the material. All magnetic catches feature a magnet, which is typically enclosed in a material. Some of them use plastic for this purpose. Plastic magnetic catches are inexpensive, versatile and long-lasting. You can also find aluminum magnetic catches. Aluminum is a lightweight and rust-resistant metal, making it a popular material for magnetic catches.
You should also consider the shape when choosing magnetic catches. Rectangular is the most common shape in which magnetic catches are made. With that said, magnetic catches are available in several other shapes as well. Some of them are cylindrical. Known as barrel magnetic catches, they can accommodate multiple magnets.
Don’t forget to choose magnetic catches in the right size. Regardless of the material or shape, they must fit the objects on which you intend to install them. When choosing magnetic catches, pay attention to the height, depth and width. You can cross-reference these measurements to the objects to ensure the magnetic catches will fit.