Russia

Several series of Sc-containing Al-alloys were developed in USSR / Russia during the 1980's and 1990's. I don't have any information about the tonnage of these alloys that is delivered per year, and very limited information about their use. I have read that some of the Sc-containing alloys have been used for structural parts of some of the MiG 29 fighter aircrafts. More about the Russian Al-Sc alloys on this page.

Ashurst Technology

Ashurst Technology was the leader in commercializing Sc-containing Al-alloys in the western world. They succeeded in introducing such alloys in the sports equipment market. Baseball / softball bats, bicycle frames and lacrosse sticks are the products that I am aware of. Ashurst also marketed welding rods of an Al-Mg-Sc alloy, which got the AA (Aluminum Association) designation number 5025. Apparently, Ashurst Technology or whatever is left of it is out of business. At least, I can't find any information about them on the internet any more. A brief account of the rise and fall of Ashurst Technology is given in this discussion forum posting.

Bicycle Frames

As far as I can judge from the number of web-pages on the internet, bicycle frames is the application where Sc-alloyed Al-alloys has become most popular.

Easton Bicycle Products Group makes bicycle frame tubing in an alloy designated Sc7000. I don't know anything about the alloy except that it is an Al-Zn-Mg based alloy with a small addition of Sc. Several bicycle manufacturers use this tubing for making high-end lightweight (and probably quite expensive) bikes.
Some manufacturers (random pick from a internet search) that use Sc7000 tubing:
| Alchemy (Australia) | | Cube (Germany) | | Curloo (UK) | | Dagger (USA) | | Dion (Canada) | | FRM (Germany) | | Hodaka (Taiwan) | | Kona (USA) | | Paletti (Italy) | | Passoni (Italy) | | Rocky Mountain (Canada) | | Quattro Assi (Italy) | | Sano (USA) | | Suck Creek (USA) | | T.E.T. (USA) | | Voodoo (USA) |

Dedacciai is an Italian bicycle tubing manufacturer. They have introduced a Sc-containing Al-tubing on the market which is labeled SC 61.10 A. As far as I can tell from the technical specifications this is probably an Al-Zn-Mg alloy. These tubes are apparently delivered from Aluminiumwerk Unna AG in Unna, Germany. (Check this newsletter)
Some manufacturers that use the Sc-containing frames from Dedacciai:
| Alan (Italy) | | Bianchi (Italy) | | Ciöcc (Italy) | | DeRosa (Italy) | | Olympia (Italy) | | Romeo (Italy) | | Svorada (Czech Rep.) |

Baseball / softball bats

Easton introduced an aluminum alloy designated Sc500 in their Redline series of baseball and softball bats in 1997. This should be considered the breaktrhough for the use of Sc-containing Al-alloys in the western world. The Sc500 alloy was developed by Ashurst Technology and Kaiser Aluminum for exclusive use by Easton. This year (2001) Kaiser Aluminum launched a new alloy, Sc777, for exclusive use by Easton. This alloy is used in three new lines of baseball / softball bats: Sc777 Triple Seven series, Sc777 Z-Core series and Sc777 ConneXion series (see this press release).

Alcoa developed a Sc-containing baseball softball bat alloy designated C555 last year (2000). Other manufacturers such as DeMarini, Louisville Slugger and Worth use this alloy for their high-end products.

As far as I know, all the three alloys mentioned above are based on the Al-Zn-Mg alloy system.

Recently, Nike has also entered the Al-Sc sporting goods market with their Hawk series of baseball- and softball bats. The Sc-containing alloy is designated ScX. I don't know which alloy this is. Some of the other Nike bats are made of Alcoa's aluminum alloys. Thus, it is tempting to guess that the ScX alloy is identical to Alcoa's C555 alloy.

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Lacrosse Sticks

STX, a major Lacrosse equipment manufacturer, sells Lacrosse stick handles in a Sc-containing Al-alloy. It is claimed that these handles have the highest strength to weight ratio on the market. I've been told that the alloy is provided through Ashurst / Kaiser, and that it probably is identical to the Sc500 alloy used by Easton.

(A curiosity: The handle series with Sc are named "Fulcrum", which is also the NATO codename for the MiG 29 fighter aircraft, some of which are partially made of Al-Sc alloys. Coincidence? Considering that STX promotes the alloy as an "Advanced Aerospace Alloy" I think not.)

deBeer, another Lacrosse equipment manufacturer, uses Alcoa's C555 alloy for some of their stick handles.

Handguns

Smith&Wesson has intoduced a new line of handguns called AirLite Sc^TM, with frames made of Sc-containing Al-alloys. I don't have a clue as for what type of alloy this is or who delivers the alloy to Smith&Wesson.

Tent poles

Birdland, a Dutch outdoor equipment manufacturer, have launched a series of lightweigth tents, Colibri, with poles of Sc-containing Al-alloys. The alloy is designated Alu-SC. I don't know what type of alloy this is or who delivers it.

Aircrafts

Airbus has been evaluating Al-Mg-Sc and Al-Mg-Li-Sc alloys for structural applications in their airplanes. However, I don't know the outcome of these evaluations, or whether they are going to be used by Airbus.