4. Examples

4.1 Balanced specifications

• Handling a low-voltage electrical contact

This is a classic case of multifunctional surface treatment. The aim is to treat an electrical contact that has to transmit very low currents, typically of the order of a few milliamperes at a voltage of a few volts, in a variety of environmental conditions. The proposed functional specifications are presented in Box 1.

These specifications take full account of the various constraints to be met; the performance targets are clearly expressed in terms of...