Scandium Canada signs NDA with University of Waterloo MSAM lab for aluminum-scandium LPBF research

Scandium Canada (TSX-V: SCD) has signed a mutual non-disclosure agreement with the University of Waterloo's Multi-Scale Additive Manufacturing Laboratory (MSAM) to explore additive manufacturing of aluminum-scandium alloys. The collaboration, led by Professor Mihaela Vlasea and Scandium Canada CSO Luc Duchesne, will focus on Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) process development aimed at reducing manufacturing costs. MSAM operates from Catalyst137 in Kitchener, Ontario, with over $25 million in equipment and a strong track record in metal 3D printing, process optimization, and alloy qualification for industrial applications.

This partnership targets a persistent gap in metal AM: the high cost and limited availability of specialty aluminum alloys that offer superior strength-to-weight ratios and thermal stability. Scandium additions to aluminum can improve weldability, reduce hot cracking, and enhance mechanical properties, making Al-Sc alloys attractive for aerospace, defense, and automotive applications where qualification burdens are high but performance gains justify the effort. The collaboration fits the pattern of upstream materials developers partnering with academic labs to de-risk qualification pathways before engaging production-scale customers. MSAM's existing equipment base and industry network give Scandium Canada a faster route to process parameter development and mechanical testing than building in-house capability.

For Scandium Canada, the practical value hinges on translating lab-scale LPBF trials into repeatable, cost-competitive powder specifications that powder producers and service bureaus can adopt. The company's Crater Lake mining project and Scandium+ division need demonstrated end-user demand to justify production scale-up. The immediate next step is generating sufficient tensile, fatigue, and microstructural data to interest aerospace primes or defense contractors evaluating Al-Sc for lightweight structural components. Without a clear path to qualification standards, this remains a promising but early-stage materials exploration.