Air transportation has certain particularities. To ensure safety, both people and goods need to undergo safety checks before boarding. If you carry magnetic materials, such as NdFeB strong magnets, when you board a plane, or if customers are in a hurry to get the goods and hope that the manufacturer will ship them by air, can we bring the magnets on board at this time?
Because weak stray magnetic fields interfere with the navigation system and control signals of the aircraft, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) lists magnetic goods as Class 9 dangerous goods, which must be restricted when they are collected and transported. Therefore, some air cargo with magnetic materials now needs to undergo magnetic testing to ensure the aircraft's normal flight. Magnetic materials, audio materials, and other instruments with magnetic accessories must undergo magnetic testing.
Air transport standards
According to the relevant provisions of IATA902: If the maximum magnetic field strength measured at 2.1m from the object being measured does not exceed 0.159A/m (200nT, which is equal to 2mGs＝0.002Gs), the item is not restricted as a magnetic material and can be treated as general cargo. If the maximum magnetic field strength measured at 2.1m from the object to be measured exceeds 0.159A/m, but the arbitrary magnetic field strength at 4.6m from the surface of the object to be measured is less than 0.418A/m, then the goods can be transported as dangerous goods. If this requirement cannot be met, then the goods are strictly prohibited from being transported by air.
How To Meet The Air Transport Standards
To meet the above air transport requirements, it is necessary to demagnetize the magnets for air transport. Although it is called demagnetization, it is not demagnetizing the magnets, but through the packaging, the magnetism displayed by the packaging meets the national aviation safety transportation requirements. Shielding packaging is generally made of high magnetic permeability materials, such as cold-rolled plates, galvanized plates, etc. If the amount of magnetic materials is large, it needs to be packaged in several layers. The magnetic permeability of high magnetic permeability materials is very high. According to the Faraday cage principle, the magnetic field after packaging mainly circulates in the box, and very little leaks out. The shielding packaging is then packaged in cartons or wooden boxes.
Magnetic Testing
Airlines or logistics companies that carry magnetic materials will force customers to undergo magnetic testing and issue an "Air Transport Conditions Identification Report" to ensure the aircraft's normal flight. Air transport identification can generally only be issued by a qualified professional identification company recognized by the country's civil aviation administration, and generally requires sending samples to the identification company for professional testing, and then issuing an identification report. If it is inconvenient to send samples, the identification company's professionals will conduct on-site testing and then issue an identification report. The validity period of the identification report is generally used in the current year, and after the new year, it is generally necessary to re-do it.
During magnetic testing, customers are required to pack the goods according to air transport requirements. The testing will not damage the packaging of the goods. In principle, the goods will not be unpacked for testing, but only the stray magnetic field of the six sides of each piece of goods will be tested. If the goods fail the magnetic test, special attention should be paid. First, with the consent of the customer, the magnetic inspection staff will unpack the goods for inspection, and then make relevant reasonable suggestions based on the specific situation. If the shielding can meet the requirements of air transportation, the goods will be shielded according to the customer's entrustment, and relevant fees will be charged.
Shipping abroad: DHL or UPS requires customers to do magnetic testing. DHL can apply for testing on behalf of the customer, and the fee is paid by the customer.