The Efficacy of the Application of Highly Specialised Surface Engineering Methods in the Economy. Case Study.

The development of materials technologies, including surface engineering is one of the main trends in the knowledge-based economy. The direct advantages of the application of these technologies are the energy and raw materials saving and the lack of negative influence on the natural environment. The disadvantages are the high equipment and operating costs, the requirement of the highest service qualifications and the necessity to develop specialized technological solutions for different kinds of applications, tools and processes. The potential economic and practical effects are so significant that except for new scientific and technological solutions new innovative organizational solutions are being searched. They should enable an extensive application of innovations in all economy sectors, including SMEs, so the investment possibilities and specialized skills would not constitute decisive limitations. A concept, assumptions, principles of operation and practical implementation of such a model organisational structure - Plasma Technologies Centre of the Institute for Terotechnology (ITeE Radom, Poland) are presented in the article. Development trends directly correlated with the needs of the national market and economy as well as network connections within Framework Programmes of the European Union are depicted. Examples of several highly specialised technological solutions (out of a few dozen solutions implemented in the PTC) and their technological efficacy are described.