Hybrid surface treatment technologies based on the electrospark alloying method

Abstract

The formation of functional coatings is one of the promising approaches to improving the durability, hardness and wear resistance of machine parts and tools. Electrospark alloying (ESA) has proven to be an effective technology for local surface modification, offering minimal thermal impact, high adhesion and the ability to use a wide range of conductive materials to produce coatings with tailored properties. At the same time, further improvement of ESA is closely linked to the development of hybrid technologies that expand coating functionality and eliminate the shortcomings of individual methods. The paper reviews the current state of ESA technology and analyzes the main schemes for its combination with other processing methods. Special attention is given to integration with surface plastic deformation, laser treatment, metal-polymer materials, and magnetron sputtering. It is shown that these combinations allow the formation of coatings with higher microhardness, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, controlled roughness, and improved tribological characteristics. Industrial aspects of implementing hybrid technologies are also considered. Key challenges are identified, including the multiparametric nature of hybrid treatments, the complexity of controlling the stress-strain state, the need for mode optimization, and the lack of real‑time automated control systems. The use of machine learning for predicting coating properties, intelligent parameter selection, and adaptive process control is proposed. The main directions for further research are outlined: quantitative optimization of hybrid processing parameters, development of physical and mathematical models of coating formation, analysis of residual stresses and long-term operability in real conditions, and creation of digital decision support systems. The implementation of these tasks will facilitate the transformation of ESA‑based hybrid technologies into highly effective surface engineering tools for a wide range of industrial applications. Keywords: functional coatings, surface plastic deformation; laser treatment; magnetron sputtering, metal-polymer material.