Alternating — Attach
Poles alternate square by square. They cancel rapidly with distance, so the part grips hard on contact and reaches barely at all. Also resists sliding, because moving sideways pushes like poles together.
Striped — Shear resistance
Bands of polarity along one axis. Strong resistance to sliding along that axis while still separating cleanly straight off.
Concentric rings — Spring
Rings of opposing polarity give a force that varies with distance rather than a simple pull, behaving like a spring with nothing to fatigue, corrode or need a housing.
Rotational — Align
One rotational position where the pattern agrees with its mate; everywhere else it pushes back. Two parts find their own alignment instead of relying on somebody lining them up.
Sectors — Detent
Wedges create discrete stable angles — four, six or twelve positions. A click stop with no mechanism to wear out.
Uniform — Conventional hold
One pole across the face: an ordinary magnet. Maximum reach and maximum force, no designed behaviour. Still the right answer when all you need is stick.
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