Scandium Canada Ltd. (TSX-V: SCD) announced Tuesday that it has signed a mutual non-disclosure agreement with the University of Waterloo's Multi-Scale Additive Manufacturing Laboratory (MSAM) to collaborate on additive manufacturing of aluminum-scandium alloys. The partnership aims to accelerate the commercialization of these advanced materials for industries such as aerospace, automotive, and defense.
The collaboration will focus on developing processes for Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF), a common metal 3D printing technique. "Our first target is to develop processes to reduce the cost of advanced manufacturing using Laser Powder Bed Fusion to broaden the spectrum of market opportunities," said Luc Duchesne, Ph.D., Chief Science Officer of Scandium Canada and Head of its Scandium+ division.
MSAM, recognized as one of Canada's leading additive manufacturing research centres, operates from Catalyst137 in Kitchener, Ontario, with over $25 million in state-of-the-art equipment. The laboratory has built a strong international reputation for its work on metal 3D printing, process optimization, and development of advanced materials. The research will be led by Professor Mihaela Vlasea, Ph.D., Co-Director of MSAM and Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Additive Manufacturing, with support from Research Associate Mohsen K. Keshavarz, Ph.D.
"Collaborating with one of the most respected additive manufacturing laboratories in the world marks an important step forward for Scandium Canada and for our Scandium+ division," said Guy Bourassa, Chief Executive Officer of Scandium Canada. "This initiative reflects our commitment to generating concrete commercial opportunities for aluminum-scandium alloys."
The partnership is significant because aluminum-scandium alloys offer superior strength, weldability, and corrosion resistance compared to conventional aluminum alloys, but their high cost has limited widespread adoption. By leveraging MSAM's expertise in additive manufacturing, the companies hope to reduce production costs and enable new applications. "It is exciting to engage with the industry ecosystem to address pressing supply chain needs for metal additive manufacturing," said Vlasea.
Scandium Canada, through its Scandium+ division, is dedicated to the research, development, and commercialization of innovative scandium uses. The company is also advancing its Crater Lake mining project in Quebec, which aims to become a primary source of scandium. The collaboration with the University of Waterloo represents a strategic move to integrate scandium into the growing additive manufacturing market, which is projected to expand significantly in the coming years.
Forward-looking statements in the release highlight risks and uncertainties, and the company cautions that actual results may differ from expectations. More information is available on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca.
