The Centre for Advanced Coating Technologies (CACT) was established in 1998 as a collaborative effort by researchers from the departments of mechanical engineering and materials science, dedicated to both fundamental and applied research in the areas of industrial coatings application and plasma processing. It is now in its twentieth year of operation, with approximately 40 researchers, including professors from both departments, research staff members, post-doctoral fellows, and graduate students. CACT conducts fundamental research - experimental, analytical, and computational - in the areas of thermal spray coatings and plasma processing.

CACT works closely with industries, other universities, and research institutions such as GE Global Research (Niskayuna, NY, USA), BMW USA, Pratt & Whitney Canada, Sulzer Metco, Perkin-Elmer Canada, VacAero International, GE R&D, Inco, TeckCominco, Hydro Quebec, NRC-Industrial Materials Institute, and the University of Tokyo. CACT receives funding from government funding agencies such as Ontario Centre of Excellence (OCE), Materials and Manufacturing Ontario (Manta), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), Ontario Innovation Trust, Auto21 and several other Canadian and international companies.

Over the last few years CACT has completed its move into new, state-of-the-art laboratory facilities in the Bahen Centre located at the heart of Toronto. It now possesses most standard thermal spray application systems such atmospheric plasma spray (APS), high velocity oxy-fuel spray (HVOF), wire-arc spray, and radio-frequency inductively coupled plasma (RF-ICP). In 2004 a unique new Vacuum Plasma Spray Forming (VPSF) system was installed, which allows the temperature of the part being sprayed to be controlled accurately, so as to minimize thermal stress. CACT has an extensive range of process diagnostic and coating characterization equipment. During its life, CACT has trained more than 100 graduate students - Ph.D. and M.A.Sc. - who are now working in both academia and industry.