When sintering the cores, the cores form a solid mass of material by heating them between 2,000 and 2,600ºF. This allows the atoms in the cores to diffuse across particle boundaries and fuse together without reaching liquefaction. During this process, magnetic qualities are being induced to the cores for the core’s intended use. Nickel-zinc is generally sintered in normal atmospheric air, while manganese-zinc is sintered in a controlled atmosphere that manages the oxygen content within the atmosphere by displacing it with nitrogen for proper curing of the cores. Manganese-zinc cores also come with a long cycle time within the kilns reaching as high as 170+ hours.