What is a channel horseshoe magnet?

A channel horseshoe magnet is a long thin horseshoe magnet, which, unlike other horseshoe magnets, is used upside down with the magnetic poles pointing upwards.

This is due to its use in a conveyor belt system in a factory. The magnet’s north and south pole need to be placed directly beneath the conveyor to ensure that the maximum amount of ferromagnetic material is collected. It would not be able to do this if the channel magnet was placed the other way up because the strength of the magnet is based purely on one end of the channel horseshoe magnet (the end with the north and south poles).

They are the only variety of horseshoe magnet that is not painted red, the traditional colour for an alnico magnet. This is because they are used on an industrial scale so they do not need the red paint to distinguish themselves from other magnets, like in the commercial market.

Channel horseshoe magnets are laid side by side in long rows on a production line for the removal of iron from different types of powder or granular materials e.g. grains.