Abstract: In conventional pistons for internal combustion engines made from aluminum, magnesium, or the like, protection must be provided in the area in and around the ring grooves due to the wear and resultant microwelding between the piston ring groove and associated piston ring. One solution has been to cast the piston head around a separate protective ring made from steel or a similar material, which is costly and can negatively effect reliability and durability. In accordance with this invention, a hard ceramic reinforcing layer is provided on the outer surface of the piston in the area within the ring groove using a plasma electrolytic oxidation process. In this manner, the complexity and cost of the piston assembly is reduced while improving the reliability and durability. A piston according to this invention can be used to improve existing engine design that use a separate protective ring or can be used in new, cleansheet engine designs.