Production of a magnet:

Magnets can be produced in a variety of ways, generally the method used is determined by the type of magnet required.

Using the stroke method of producing a magnet, a piece of steel is stroked by a permanent magnet or magnets. Backward and forward movement of the steel should be avoided and magnets should follow the assumed lines of force when stroking the steel.

Magnets with same polarity at either end can be produced using the double stroke method. This entails stroking the steel from the centre to the end, reversing the direction of the magnet for each end. Such a magnet is said to have consequent poles.