The application of thermal sprayed coatings has a broad industrial scope, not only applied where it concerns repairing but also as a preventive means. This article focuses on the applications of ceramics as wear and corrosion protection on hydraulic piston rods. It begins with a concise description of the different forms of wear and their mechanisms with some typical examples of worn surfaces. This is followed by an overview of the available coating techniques for enhancing metal surfaces. Next, the article discusses the principle and applications of thermal sprayed coatings. Then, it presents the scope and protection measures of thermal sprayed coatings to failure mechanism. Further, the article discusses the properties, quality control, and testing criteria of the coatings. It describes the chemical composition and chemical analysis of quality control spray powder. Finally, the article ends with a discussion on the examples of thermal sprayed coatings in OEM applications.