5. Conclusions and outlook

Real technological advances have been made since the first use of automated scratch testing in the 1980s, with a technique that has seen its scope extended to a wide range of applications, from ultra-hard coatings to soft polymers. Significant advances in the understanding of deformation mechanisms have led to the development of more precise methods for fine-tuning scratch parameters, with the main aim of concentrating the epicenter of the stress field at depths relevant to stressing the layer-substrate interface. Analytical and microscopic techniques have transformed the scratch test from a simple deformation tool into a quantitative, reproducible technique that is now commonplace in industry and academic research. Automation of the method has enabled it to be used for routine quality control without the need for massive investment in manpower, with rapid processing of information....