System for coating objects with coating material, and method for coating objects with coating material

A method for automatic coating of objects with coating material, wherein the method comprises the following method steps:

• conveying at least one object to be coated by a conveyor mechanism along a transport path through a coating area of a coating station;
• and
• detecting the presence or absence of an object to be coated in a first monitored area situated in the transport path of the at least one object to be coated and upstream—seen in the conveying direction of the conveyor mechanism—of the coating area;
• wherein upon an object to be coated being detected as being present in the first monitored area, coating material is sprayed in the direction of the coating area in the coating station by at least one coating gun after a delay contingent on the conveyance speed and a distance between the first monitored area and the coating area;
• and
• wherein upon an object to be coated not being detected as being present in the first monitored area, no coating material is sprayed in the direction of the coating area in the coating station by the at least one coating gun, in particular after a delay and preferably after a delay contingent on the conveyance speed and a distance between the first monitored area and the coating area,
• wherein the method further comprises:
• detecting a size, geometry and/or contour of at least one area of the object to be coated in a second monitored area situated in the transport path of the at least one object to be coated and upstream—seen in the conveying direction of the conveyor mechanism—of the coating area;
• wherein a positioning device positions and/or aligns at least one coating gun in the coating station in the horizontal and/or vertical direction and/or in the conveying direction in relation to the coating area, particularly after a delay and preferably after a delay contingent on the conveyance speed and a distance between the second monitored area and the coating area, such that when the object to be coated is conveyed through the coating area, the at least one coating gun always has a predefined or definable distance from and/or a predefined or definable orientation to the surface of the object to be coated,
• wherein the size, geometry and/or contour of the at least one area of an object to be coated is/are detected by the object being at least partially scanned by means of at least one first laser beam running perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveyor mechanism and by means of at least one second laser beam running obliquely to the conveying direction of the conveyor mechanism.