Custom Magnetic Shielding
We cover the complete shielding process
Magnetic Shields USA designs and manufactures custom magnetic shielding for applications where magnetic performance, dimensional accuracy and repeatability are critical.
With more than 65 years of specialist experience, we are accustomed to technically demanding projects where magnetic performance must be balanced with mechanical, environmental and integration requirements.
Our capabilities cover the complete shielding process: application review, material selection, magnetic simulation, detailed design, precision fabrication, hydrogen magnetic annealing, dimensional inspection and magnetic performance testing.
We can manufacture from an established customer design or take responsibility for developing the shielding solution around the equipment, magnetic environment and required performance.
Discuss a Magnetic Shielding Project
Complex Custom Magnetic Shielding
Complex magnetic shielding projects require magnetic performance, mechanical integration and manufacturing requirements to be considered as a complete system.
We routinely work with large, irregular and multilayer geometries, high external fields, very low residual-field requirements and systems operating under cryogenic, vacuum or tightly controlled mechanical conditions.
Designs may also need to accommodate removable sections, optical and electrical access, cooling connections, structural interfaces, degaussing or active field control. Our engineers consider these requirements alongside magnetic performance, manufacturing feasibility, assembly and future maintenance.
We can support any stage of the project, from material supply and build-to-print manufacture to simulation, complete shielding-system design, prototyping, annealing, testing and repeat production.
Extensive Custom Shielding Fabrication
Our in-house fabrication resources allow shielding concepts to be developed into complex finished assemblies without losing control between design stages. Capabilities include fiber-laser cutting, CNC machining and forming, pressing, deep drawing, metal spinning, toolmaking and specialist welding.
We manufacture cylindrical, rectangular and irregular enclosures, nested and multilayer systems, large structures, and shields with removable sections, lids, access panels and optical, electrical and cooling penetrations. This breadth supports one-off prototypes, low-volume builds and repeat production.
Because magnetic alloys are sensitive to mechanical stress, fabrication planning, joint design, handling and the sequence of the final magnetic anneal are considered from the outset.
Quality and Process Control
Magnetic shielding performance depends on control of the complete manufacturing process. Magnetic Shields Limited operates an ISO 9001:2015-certified quality system with traceability from incoming material through manufacture, heat treatment, inspection and final release.
Material certification and batch records are supported by controlled manufacturing documentation, dimensional inspection and recorded hydrogen heat-treatment cycles. Customer-specific inspection and test documentation can also be provided where required.
Heat Treatment and Magnetic Testing
Seven controlled hydrogen furnaces allow the heat-treatment cycle to be selected around the alloy, material thickness and finished geometry. Process parameters are monitored and recorded using NADCAP-approved control instrumentation.
Published material permeability does not directly predict the performance of a completed shield. Geometry, openings, seams, manufacturing condition and test orientation all influence the result.
Inspection can include coordinate measuring equipment, optical measurement, permeability testing and representative witness samples. Where appropriate, completed shields can be tested using 3-axis Helmholtz coils within an on-site magnetically shielded room, generating controlled fields up to 1 mT from DC to 1 kHz.
Design, Material Selection and Simulation
A magnetic shield cannot be specified from its dimensions alone. The design must consider the external magnetic field strength, frequency and direction, including static and time-varying components, together with the required residual field and dimensions of the protected volume.
Available space, openings, layer configuration, saturation risk, operating temperature, mechanical support and access requirements can all influence the finished design.
Where appropriate, we can support shield development using ANSYS Maxwell 3D finite element analysis. Simulation can help evaluate and refine a proposed design by assessing magnetic flux distribution, saturation risk, material and layer configuration, field direction, openings and predicted conditions within the protected volume.
Simulation supports the design process, while finished shielding performance can be verified through physical testing where required.
Magnetic Shielding Material Comparison
Material selection depends on the applied field, required attenuation, operating temperature and shield geometry. The following comparison provides a general guide to the three principal materials used in our magnetic shielding systems.
| Property | MuMetal® | Supra 50® | CRYOPHY® |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical composition | Approx. 80% Ni, 5% Mo, balance principally Fe | Approx. 48% Ni, balance Fe | Approx. 81% Ni, 5% Mo, balance Fe |
| Principal characteristic | Very high permeability in low-intensity fields | Higher saturation induction combined with high permeability | Retains useful permeability at cryogenic temperatures |
| Published permeability | ≥400,000 at approximately 0.4 A/m after final annealing | Maximum approximately 200,000 | Approximately 70,000 at 0.4 A/m and 4 K |
| Typical saturation induction | Approximately 0.75 T | Approximately 1.50 T | Approximately 0.80 T at 4 K |
| Typical coercive force | Approximately 0.4 A/m | Approximately 2.8 A/m | Approximately 0.8 A/m at 4 K |
| Typical shielding role | High attenuation of low-intensity static and low-frequency fields | Stronger fields or outer layers where saturation is a concern | Magnetic shielding within cryogenic systems, typically around 4 K |
| Heat treatment | Final magnetic anneal normally required after fabrication | Final magnetic anneal normally required after fabrication | Material-specific magnetic anneal and controlled cooling required |
Published values are typical material properties measured on ring samples after specified heat treatment. They were obtained under different temperatures, applied fields and sample conditions and should not be interpreted as a direct performance ranking.
Finished shield performance also depends on geometry, fabrication, openings, layer configuration and final annealing.
Quantum and Cryogenic Magnetic Shielding
Magnetic shielding requirements arise across superconducting quantum hardware, trapped-ion and neutral-atom systems, cold-atom experiments, atomic timing, quantum magnetometry, optically pumped magnetometers, quantum sensors and precision physics research.
Depending on the application, the solution may range from a local component enclosure to a cryogenic shield, multilayer benchtop chamber or complete magnetically shielded room.
For cryogenic systems, a CRYOPHY® shield may be installed close to the cold-stage equipment while separate room-temperature shielding is positioned outside the cryogenic vessel. This allows each part of the shielding system to be designed around the magnetic, thermal and mechanical conditions at its location.
Cryostat geometry, thermal contraction, optical and electrical access, cooling connections, mechanical supports, required bias fields, gradients, degaussing and active field control can then be considered as part of the overall system design.
Applications
Our custom magnetic shielding capabilities support sensitive equipment and research systems across a broad range of scientific and industrial environments:
Quantum technology and cryogenic systems
Scientific and precision measurement equipment
Particle and fundamental physics research
Medical and biomagnetic instrumentation
Aerospace and space instrumentation
Semiconductor and electron-optical equipment
Sensors and calibration systems
Transformers, inductors and power electronics
Automotive and transport technology
Related Materials, Components and Shielding Systems
Custom Magnetic Shielding Assemblies
Complex enclosures, nested shields, multilayer structures and integrated shielding systems manufactured to customer-specific requirements.
MuRoom® Magnetically Shielded Rooms
Complete controlled magnetic environments for applications requiring exceptionally low residual fields, gradients and magnetic noise.
Cryogenic Magnetic Shielding
CRYOPHY® shielding designed for equipment and research systems operating at cryogenic temperatures, typically down to 4 K.
GA4 Hybrid Magnetic Shield
A combined passive, active and demagnetization system developed for exceptionally sensitive magnetic measurements.
Zero Gauss Chambers
Controlled low-field volumes for magnetic testing, sensor development, calibration and precision measurement.
MuMetal® Sheet and Plate
High-permeability magnetic shielding material available for fabrication, engineering and customer-manufactured shielding.
MuMetal® Foil
Thin, flexible magnetic shielding material for low-intensity static and low-frequency magnetic fields, with adhesive-backed options available.
MuMetal® Shielding Cans
Compact magnetic shielding enclosures for transformers, inductors, sensors and sensitive electronic components.
MuMetal® Toroidal Cores
Precision strip-wound magnetic cores manufactured in a wide range of sizes and subject to controlled magnetic testing.
Magnetic Shielding FAQs
Can you develop a shield if the final specification is not yet known?
Yes. We can begin with the best available information about the magnetic source, protected volume, required operating conditions and known performance target. If essential information is missing, we will identify the measurements or design data needed before the shield is finalized.
Can you manufacture from our existing drawings?
Yes. We manufacture from established customer designs as well as developing complete shielding solutions. Commonly used formats include DXF, DWG, STEP and IGES, supported by the relevant material, tolerance and performance requirements.
Do you support prototypes and production quantities?
Yes. Our manufacturing resources support one-off development parts, low-volume builds and repeat production. The appropriate route depends on the geometry, tooling requirements, material condition and required delivery program.
How is the correct magnetic shielding material selected?
Material selection depends on field strength, required attenuation, available space, geometry, operating temperature and saturation risk. MuMetal®, Supra 50® and CRYOPHY® have different magnetic characteristics and may also be combined within a multilayer design.
Does MuMetal® require heat treatment after fabrication?
Normally, yes. Cutting, forming and welding introduce mechanical stress that reduces magnetic permeability. A final controlled hydrogen magnetic anneal is generally required after fabrication to develop optimum shielding properties.
Can the shield include openings and service penetrations?
Yes. Designs can accommodate removable sections, lids, access panels and optical, electrical and cooling penetrations. Their size, position and geometry must be considered because discontinuities can affect shielding performance.
Can shielding performance be predicted before manufacture?
Where appropriate, ANSYS Maxwell 3D finite element analysis can be used to assess flux distribution, saturation risk, layer configuration, openings and predicted conditions within the protected volume. Simulation supports engineering judgment and does not replace final testing when verified performance is required.
How can a completed magnetic shield be tested?
Depending on its size and specification, testing can include permeability checks, representative witness samples and completed-shield measurements in controlled magnetic fields. Our 3-axis Helmholtz system can generate fields up to 1 mT from DC to 1 kHz.
Is magnetic shielding the same as RF shielding?
No. High-permeability magnetic shielding is primarily used for static and low-frequency magnetic fields. Radio-frequency shielding typically relies on electrically conductive materials and different construction principles, although both may be incorporated into a combined enclosure or shielded room.
What information is useful for an initial project review?
The most useful starting points are the external magnetic field strength, frequency and direction, including static and time-varying components; the required residual field or attenuation; the protected volume; available space; operating temperature; access needs; and any dimensional or material constraints.
Discuss Your Magnetic Shielding Requirements
Share the best available information about your magnetic environment, protected volume, operating conditions and performance target. Our team will help establish the most appropriate next step.