Since many years, aluminum alloys are established as lightweight construction materials. To reach a partial wear protection for aluminum components in conjunction with seal faces, inlays, made of wear resistant materials, are in use. Problems concerning this approach are the necessary space and the endurance strength of the inlay - part joint. In the following paper an alternative for the replacement of the inlays by cladding with an innovative and easy to handle short arc technology will be discussed. This technology offers the potential to control the energy input into the substrate and so the formation of brittle intermetallic phases in the aluminum-steel interface as well as the thermal stresses. The usage of new nano crystalline solidifying wear resistant iron-based feedstock materials with advantageous physical and mechanical properties enables further applications beside the wear protection of surfaces, for example as metallic heat insulation layer with a low heat conductivity, close to the values of ceramics.