A method for electroless coating of substrates by applying an activating coat of polyelectrolyte or salt with a first aqueous composition; rinsing the activating coat such that the activating coat not being entirely removed; contacting and coating of the activated surfaces that have remained after rinsing with an aqueous composition in the form of a solution, emulsion or suspension, to form an organic secondary coat; and drying. The activating coat is a solution, emulsion or suspension containing a anionic polyelectrolyte or at least one anionic salt in solution in water. The aqueous composition forming the secondary coat has constituents which can be precipitated, deposited or salted out and which are anionically, zwitterionically, sterically or cationically stabilized. The dry film formed in the process, comprising the activating coat and the secondary coat, has a thickness of at least 1 m.

A method of locating a defect in an e-coat on a surface can include acquiring an image of the surface. A correction coefficient can be applied to the image to form an adjusted image. The correction coefficient can relate pixel values of the image to a calibration value. The adjusted image can be separated into a spectral component which can be modified by a block average determination to create a modified spectral component. The spectral components can be compared with the modified spectral components to form a difference image. The difference image can be dilated and eroded. A region of interest can be identified from an image region using a blob detection. The defect can be classified as a defect type. The defect can be repaired or a coding parameter can be altered based on the defect.

A method of locating a defect in an e-coat on a surface can include acquiring an image of the surface. A correction coefficient can be applied to the image to form an adjusted image. The correction coefficient can relate pixel values of the image to a calibration value. The adjusted image can be separated into a spectral component which can be modified by a block average determination to create a modified spectral component. The spectral components can be compared with the modified spectral components to form a difference image. The difference image can be dilated and eroded. A region of interest can be identified from an image region using a blob detection. The defect can be classified as a defect type. The defect can be repaired or a coding parameter can be altered based on the defect.

A system and method of applying a coating to a vehicle in sequence with vehicle manufacture is disclosed. The vehicle may be inspected and/or logged into inventory. The vehicle may be electronically recorded into inventory using a computerized data acquisition and/or process control system. The vehicle may be prepared by an operator. The vehicle preparation may include applying masking materials to at least a portion of the vehicle. The vehicle preparation may include application of a pre-treatment to at least a portion of the vehicle. A coating may be applied to at least a portion of the vehicle. The coating may include one or more layers. The masking materials may be removed from the vehicle after the completion of the coating application. The vehicle may be electronically recorded into inventory using a data acquisition and/or process control system. The vehicle may be delivered and/or returned to the vehicle manufacturer.

A system and method of applying a coating to a vehicle in sequence with vehicle manufacture is disclosed. The vehicle may be inspected and/or logged into inventory. The vehicle may be electronically recorded into inventory using a computerized data acquisition and/or process control system. The vehicle may be prepared by an operator. The vehicle preparation may include applying masking materials to at least a portion of the vehicle. The vehicle preparation may include application of a pre-treatment to at least a portion of the vehicle. A coating may be applied to at least a portion of the vehicle. The coating may include one or more layers. The masking materials may be removed from the vehicle after the completion of the coating application. The vehicle may be electronically recorded into inventory using a data acquisition and/or process control system. The vehicle may be delivered and/or returned to the vehicle manufacturer.