Surface preparation end effector for industrial robot system and inspection and repair processes

A robot end effector for surface preparation in an automated inspection and repair system for composite parts, the robot end effector comprising:

• an end effector body;
• a plasma control unit and a plasma jet nozzle supported on the end effector body, the plasma control unit configured for directing a jet of atmospheric plasma through the plasma jet nozzle;
• and
• a slave tool changer secured to the end effector body, the slave tool changer configured to releasably and operatively connect the robot end effector to an industrial robot such that the industrial robot is configured to move the robot end effector along a composite part as the plasma control unit directs a jet of atmospheric plasma through the plasma jet nozzle toward the composite part to clean the composite part and increase a surface free energy of the composite part;
• wherein the slave tool changer is configured to connect the plasma control unit to a plasma generator remote from the robot end effector;
• wherein the slave tool changer comprises a plasma coupling configured to operatively connect the robot end effector to a plasma coupling of a master tool changer on the industrial robot;
• the robot end effector further comprising a first plasma line extending from the plasma coupling to the plasma control unit and second plasma line extending from the plasma control unit to the plasma jet nozzle.