Alnico magnet alloy is manufactured by casting or sintering. The manufacturing process and the method used to develop anisotropy allow for geometries that are more complex compared to other magnet alloys. Alnico magnets produce magnetic field strength at their poles as high as 1500 gauss (0.15 tesla), or about 3000 times the strength of Earth's magnetic field. Specialized casting techniques used to achieve the unique crystalline grain orientation found in the alnico 5 and 8 grades. Orientation is achieved during heat treatment, by cooling the casting from 2000F at a controlled rate within a magnetic field which conforms to the preferred direction of magnetization.