APWORKS and Equispheres plan North American production of Scalmalloy for 3D printing

APWORKS, a subsidiary of Airbus, and Canadian powder manufacturer Equispheres have announced a strategic collaboration to establish a North American supply chain for Scalmalloy. Scalmalloy is a patented aluminum-magnesium-scandium alloy specially developed for additive manufacturing with Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF). The aim of the cooperation is to improve the local availability of the material and thus secure supply chains, particularly for aerospace applications.

Scalmalloy has mechanical properties comparable to high-strength aluminum alloys of the 7000 series, but offers better ductility and corrosion resistance. The material properties are tailored to the requirements of additive manufacturing, particularly with regard to thermal stability and weldability. Due to its performance, Scalmalloy is already used in safety-critical components in aerospace, defense and motorsports.

“Scalmalloy will be a great addition to our line of high-performance materials for serial AM,” said Kevin Nicholds, CEO of Equispheres. “We’re excited to be in discussions with APWORKS about producing this high-strength alloy for aluminum parts. North American supply of critical materials such as aluminum-scandium alloys is a key step toward securing the aerospace supply chain.”

Until now, the material has only been available through licensees in Europe and Asia. Equispheres is to establish a North American production and sales structure for the first time, primarily using locally available raw materials.

“Equispheres is a logical choice for expanding Scalmalloy production into North America,” said Jonathan Meyer, CEO of APWORKS. “They are widely regarded for their expertise in producing high-quality aluminum powders for Additive Manufacturing, and their access to domestic sources of aluminum and scandium is an important factor in supply chain resilience in an increasingly uncertain world.”

“Scalmalloy powder made in Equispheres’ North American facility will eliminate many of the adoption barriers that have historically limited the use of this alloy in critical programs,” added Evan Butler-Jones, Vice-President of Product & Strategy at Equispheres. “By combining the excellent properties of Scalmalloy with our proprietary powder technology, we can deliver an ideal material solution for the most demanding AM applications.”

The planned production of Scalmalloy in North America could eliminate a previously limiting factor in the introduction of the material into broader industrial applications. The combination of material-specific optimization and local availability should be particularly advantageous for series applications in the field of additive manufacturing.