A method and associated system provides automated abrasive paint repair using automated abrasive paint repair devices that selectively sand, buff, and polish a substrate in response to received instructions generated by a controller. The controller receives coordinates of each identified defect in the substrate along with parameters describing characteristics of each defect, selects a sanding process, a buffing process, and/or a polishing process based on empirically derived rules established by skilled/expert human operators and the received parameters. The controller outputs instructions to cause the automated abrasive paint repair devices to execute the selected sanding process, buffing process, and/or polishing process using the received parameters. The empirically derived rules and parameters may be stored in a lookup table and/or updated by a machine learning module.

Automated systems and methods of using a smart end-effector tool to prepare (e.g., scuffing, abrading, sanding, polishing, etc.) an object surface are provided. The smart tool can update its working state with a robot arm in real time, which in turn adjusts locomotion parameters to optimize the tool's working state on the object surface.

A method for coordinating an identification of a defect in the surface coating of a workpiece and processing same via grinding and/or polishing using at least one grinding or polishing tool that is moveable over the defect in an automatic and computer-controlled manner based a stored program is provided. The surface coating of the workpiece is automatically optically scanned and the scanned position data is detected in a database. The defect is identified by comparing the detected position data with stored target data of the workpiece. Possible movements of the grinding or polishing tool are simulated to process the defect. The setting data for the grinding or polishing tool determined in the simulation is forwarded to a master computer. The determined processing data for processing the defect is transferred to the grinding or polishing tool. The defect is processed using the grinding or polishing tool.

A wiping system for a robotic repair unit is presented that includes a motive robot arm with a motor, a connection mechanism coupled to the motive robot arm, and a wiping medium coupled to the connection mechanism. The wiping medium includes a base layer and a plurality of features extending from the base layer. The motive robot arm, powered by the motor, moves the wiping medium. The motive robot arm is configured to move the wiping medium toward, or away from, a worksurface. The motive arm is configured to press the wiping medium toward the worksurface during a wiping operation. During the wiping operation, the wiping medium is driven by a wiping motor against the surface.

A method includes: (a) actively cooling an outer surface of a workpiece until the outer surface reaches a predetermined surface temperature; and (b) sanding the outer surface of the workpiece when the outer surface of the workpiece has reached the predetermined surface temperature.

A method and system used for sanding objects such as auto body parts made of plastic. The method and system allow shop owners and technicians in the auto body industry to sand car bumpers with an abrasive paper having at least one sanding surface made of kraft paper prior to the priming process. The abrasive paper can be configured into corrugated fiberboard material. The abrasive paper will remove the rough or course areas left on car bumpers made of thermoplastic olefin (TPO) during the sanding process which will save auto body shops and technicians time and money spent on materials, specifically primer and sandpaper. The abrasive paper used to sand car bumpers can be made of virgin kraft and can be configured substantially in the shape of a disc, square or rectangle that will be affixed to a sanding device.