A system and method of matching a paint color to an automotive surface generates a final color composition that accurately matches a current color for a repaintable surface of an automobile. The system for the present invention includes a primary transparent card and a plurality of spray paints, wherein each spray paint is associated to a paint color. The paint color of each spray paint is compared to the current color and applied as a plurality of primary shades onto the primary transparent card. The repaintable surface is overlaid with the primary transparent card, and a matching primary shade is identified. The matching primary shade is appended into the final color composition. The repaintable surface is repainted with the final color composition. The system further includes at least one secondary transparent card that allows for the identification of at least one color-modifying spray paint from the plurality of spray paints.

A method of detecting a defect in an applied volume of material includes detecting a pressure discontinuity during dispensing the volume of material along a predetermined path on a substrate. The pressure discontinuity is indicative of the defect in the applied volume of material. The location of the defect along the predetermined path is function of a start time of the pressure discontinuity and the size of the defect is a function of a time duration of the pressure discontinuity. The method can further include determining whether or not to repair the defect as a function of the location and the size of the defect in the applied volume of material. The method includes repairing the defect by re-directing the material applicator to the location of the defect and dispensing additional material at the location of the defect.

A disc changing system for a robotic defect repair system is presented. The system has a first abrasive disc and a second abrasive disc. The first and second abrasive discs are coupled to a liner. The system includes an abrasive disc placement device configured to automatically: remove the first abrasive disc from the liner, transport the first abrasive disc to a robotic tool of the robotic defect repair system, and place the first abrasive disc on a backup pad coupled to the robotic tool. The system also includes an abrasive disc remover configured to automatically remove the first abrasive disc after receiving a removal signal. The system also includes a controller configured to send an instruction to the disc placement device to remove, transport and place the first abrasive disc, instruct the robotic tool to conduct an abrasive operation. The controller is also configured to send the removal signal. The controller is a processor and the instructions are stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and executed by the processor.

Implementations provide cold spray additive manufacturing (CSAM) with gas recovery in situ in an open environment without requiring part disassembly and removal to a repair facility. Recapturing and reusing gas in an open environment reduces costs, rendering CSAM more commercially viable and efficient, and avoids risk of new damage to parts from contemporary pre-existing CSAM processes. A gas recovery nozzle attaches to a supersonic nozzle and sends used gas to a gas recovery sub-system by capturing gas that is deflected on impact with the part during CSAM. Captured gas is stored for reuse. A flexible coupling controls distance from the gas recovery nozzle to a part substrate to prevent (1) nozzle clogging; (2) stationary shock wave interference with gas flow; and (3) gas flow misdirection. The gas recovery nozzle also suppresses disruptive supersonic sounds. Implementations enable capture for later reuse of supersonically-propelled gas during in-situ CSAM in open environments.

Systems and methods that provide or restore a coating to a component are provided. The systems and methods utilized an atomizing spray device. A gas and a slurry that comprises fluid and ceramic particles are supplied to the atomizing spray device. The slurry and gas are discharged from the spray device to form two-phase droplets. The fluid within the droplets evaporates to prevent the fluid from becoming part of the coating as the droplets traverse through the air and prior to impacting the surface of the component.

A method for surface writing is disclosed. The method includes fabricating a plurality of nanomotors, forming a secondary solution by adding the plurality of nanomotors to a primary solution placed on a substrate, guiding the plurality of nanomotors along a path in the secondary solution, and forming a sol-gel film along the path on a surface of the substrate. Wherein, the primary solution includes a monomer and hydrogen peroxide (H.sub.2O.sub.2). Fabricating the plurality of nanomotors includes preparing a mesoporous silica template, forming the plurality of nanomotors within the mesoporous silica template, and separating the plurality of nanomotors from the mesoporous silica template. The mesoporous silica template includes a plurality of channels, wherein each channel of the plurality of channels has a diameter less than about 50 nm and a length of less than about 100 nm, and each nanomotor of the plurality of nanomotors is formed within a channel of the plurality of channels.

The present invention relates to a method for coating, optionally with specific colouring, an exposed surface of a body with simultaneous formation of a structured surface, including projecting formations, via a device for depositing one or more liquid substances in droplets, in particular by a jet, said method consisting, for each affected site (1) of the surface to be printed (1), of consecutively depositing at least two vertically adjacent layers (6, 6) of a first substance selected from the group made up of a size, a varnish, an adhesion or attachment agent and a coating agent, preferably white or transparent and at least one second substance such as a colouring substance or a mixture of colouring substances, each of the consecutive layers (6, 6) being formed by depositing droplets (4, 4; 5). The method is characterised in that it consists of consecutively depositing at least three vertically adjacent layers (6, 6) which are made up, alternatively, of a first substance and a second substance, each layer (6, 6) being made up of separate individual droplets (4, 4; 5), arranged in each layer according to a predetermined pattern.

An improved surface material is particularly suited for non-turf baseball field applications such as the pitcher's mound and base paths. The material generally comprises clay, wax, alkane fluid and sand and has a putty-like consistency. Cleats can penetrate the material but are not likely to pull it out in clumps upon removal of the cleats. Method for forming the surface includes spraying emulsified wax and/or alkane fluid on a surface and mixing it with the surface material.

A method of repairing a defectively manufactured multi-layer component having a substrate material and a primer layer includes applying, to the primer layer, a solvent that causes the primer layer to swell to form a swelled primer layer. The method also includes abrading away the swelled primer layer from the multi-layer component and rebuilding the multi-layer component by forming a new primer layer on the substrate material.

A pipe-repair tool is disclosed. The pipe-repair tool includes a first chamber to hold a first pressurized sealant and a valve to selectively allow the sealant to flow from the chamber into the interior of a pipe to be repaired. The tool may include a second chamber to hold a second pressurized sealant when using a two-part sealant, in which case the first sealant and the second sealant flow through a mixing chamber when flowing from the first and second chambers to the interior of the pipe. The valve may be a mechanical valve that is opened by moving the tool relative to the pipe to be repaired. The valve may be an electrically controlled valve that is opened with an electrical signal.