传统的表面强化方法，工艺上属于热处理的范畴。而近代发展起来的激光、电子束、离子束等表面强化方法，不仅将一些高新技术应用于材料的表面强化，而且在工艺上已经超出了传统的热处理范畴，形成了新的技术领域。因此现在的表面强化技术可以从不同的角度形成多种分类方法，按表层强化技术的物理化学过程进行分类，大致可分为五大类：表面变形强化、表面热处理强化、化学热处理强化、表面冶金强化、表面薄膜强化。
The traditional method of surface hardening belongs to the category of heat treatment. In recent years, laser, electron beam, ion beam and other surface strengthening methods have not only applied some high and new technology to material surface strengthening, but also have gone beyond the traditional heat treatment category, forming a new technology field. So now the surface strengthening technology can form a variety of classification methods from different angles, classified by physical and chemical processes of surface strengthening technology, can be divided into five categories: strengthening, surface heat treatment and chemical heat treatment strengthening, surface metallurgy strengthening, surface film surface deformation strengthening.