The surface coating field is a rapidly developing area of science and technology that offers new methods and techniques to control friction and wear. New coating types are continually being developed and the potential applications in different industrial fields are ever growing, ranging from machine components and consumer products to medical instruments and prostheses. This book provides an extensive review of the latest technology in the field, addressing techniques such as physical and chemical vapour deposition, the tribological properties of coatings, and coating characterization and performance evaluation techniques. Eleven different cases are examined in close detail to demonstrate the improvement of tribological properties and a guide to selecting coatings is also provided. This second edition is still the only monograph in the field to give a holistic view of the subject and presents all aspects, including test and performance data as well as insights into mechanisms and interactions, thus providing the level of understanding vital for the practical application of coatings.