The success of products often hinges on the properties of their outermost layer, which can be significantly improved through appropriate coatings. To foster an international dialogue on coating applications in production techniques, THe Coatings Conference was established, focusing on current advancements and future trends in coatings research and development. Initiated in 1998 during the CIRP conference in Athens, the conference is organized every one and a half years in Greece and Germany, thanks to collaboration among three academic institutions: the Laboratory for Machine Tools and Manufacturing Engineering at Aristoteles University of Thessaloniki, the Laboratory for Manufacturing Technology at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, and the Institute for Production Engineering and Machine Tools at Leibniz Universität Hannover. Following successful conferences in Thessaloniki, Hannover, and Erlangen, the 6th THe Coatings Conference is set for October 25-26, 2007, in Hannover-Garbsen, Germany. This event will emphasize thin hard coatings and their applications, bringing together industry and university professionals to share and discuss the latest developments in hard coatings within manufacturing processes and innovative products.
