This International Standard specifies requirements for aluminium coatings applied by physical vapour-deposition techniques to mild steels, low-alloy steels, high-strength steels, corrosion-resisting steels, aluminium alloys, titanium alloys and other materials, as appropriate.

Physical vapour-deposited coatings of aluminium are not suitable for steels having tensile strengths greater than 1 400 MPa, because of the possibility of hydrogen embrittlement due to corrosion in service or storage, or as a result of excessive cathodic protection.