Ion beam-assisted deposition (IBAD) technique has been used to deposit chromium nitride on the stainless steel substrates. Characterization and performance of this coating was carried out by a round-robin test at various laboratories. About 300 samples, prepared at Spire, USA, were distributed to 10 different laboratories. Characterization of coated materials, carried out using Rutherford backscattering (RBS), X-ray diffraction(XRD), glancing X-ray diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), confirmed a well-adherent layer of chromium nitride with composition and thickness of Cr0.8N0.2 and 1.2 mu m, respectively. The performance of the coating was tested by tribological tests: dynamic micro-indentation, micro-hardness, wear and friction, and corrosion tests. The coating was found to be hard with good wear resistance and had enhanced resistance to corrosion in acid media.