Gefest Automated Complex for Vehicle Body Restoration and Anti-Corrosion Protection

Abstract

This paper presents the technological concept and architecture of the Gefest robotic technological complex (RTC) designed for the restoration and long-term anti-corrosion protection of vehicle body sheets. The restoration method implemented by the Gefest complex is based on the integration of laser metal cleaning technology, cold gas-dynamic spraying (CGDS / Cold Spray), and synthetic paint coating. This hardware setup operates in conjunction with a 6-axis industrial manipulator equipped with an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven computer vision system and a semi-automatic tool changer. The technology addresses the problem of vehicle body corrosion by establishing an adaptive "in-garage" production cycle. This integrated approach to body repair eliminates thermal deformations of the processed vehicle body areas, minimizes repair downtime, and extends service life compared to traditional, predominantly manual repair methods. The economic aspects of technology implementation and the specific features of rapid express repair are also reviewed.