Niche sectors for economically competitive ion implantation treatments

Ion implantation of metal surfaces has been regarded for decades as a promising treatment technology for many industrial sectors. The situation, at the beginning of this century is far from the expected 10 years ago: while other advanced surface treatments like PVD coatings have experienced a continuous growth, there are comparatively few ion implantation workshops and the future of the technology is uncertain for many observers. This paper reviews the experience gained in some European countries during the last decade. The main causes for the reduced demand of ion implantation treatments are identified. Cost-benefit analysis tools are employed to determine when the treatments are competitive. The proposed model is applied to the leading niche sectors in Europe to explain why ion implantation is the preferred solution in those application fields. The future of the technology is also examined by using the above mentioned model and some predictions are formulated for the next 10 years.