The invention discloses a surface compound strengthening process for an aluminum alloy material, aiming to solve the problems that chemical plating of Ni, Ni-P and Ni-W-P or electroplating of Ni and Cr for aluminum and aluminum alloy has good bonding strength but low rigidity and poorer wear resistance, and vacuum coatings of CrN, TiN, TiAlN, TiCN or DLC for an aluminum alloy material have high rigidity and good wear resistance but poorer bonding strength with a substrate. The surface compound strengthening process disclosed by the invention comprises the following steps: firstly, plating a 2-10mu m thick gradient transition layer on the surface of an aluminum alloy substrate, then baking for 1-2 hours at constant temperature of 75-85 DEG C in a dry environment, and finally depositing oneor multiple coatings of CrN, TiN, TiAlN, TiCN or DLC on the aluminum alloy substrate by a vacuum coating technology. The surface compound strengthening process can improve the bonding strength between the vacuum coating and the aluminum alloy substrate, and simultaneously the surface of the aluminum alloy substrate has higher rigidity and wear resistance.