Micro-arc oxidation (MAO) is a novel technique to deposit ceramic coatings on the surface of valve metals such as Al, Mg, Ti and their alloys. The oxide films prepared by this technique have a dense structure, high adhesion and excellent integrated mechanical properties. This technique is especially suitable for the surface treatment of machine parts that work at high speed and have a higher demand for resistance to wear and corrosion. There have been many studies in this field in the last few years. The development of micro-arc oxidation and its applications in industrial field was reviewed. Based on conventional micro-arc oxidation, an innovative scanning micro-arc oxidation technology with visible advantages was developed in this paper. Moreover, verification experiment on scanning micro-arc oxidation was carried out, and the experimental results suggested that scanning micro-arc oxidation could be conduced at a high efficiency but low cost way. At last, the effects of scanning times on film thickness were discussed.