Method for operating a coating system, and correspondingly adapted coating system

A coating system, comprising:

• an applicator for applying a coating agent;
• a coating robot for moving the applicator over a component to be coated;
• a sensor for checking the quality of the coating applied to the component;
• and
• a control unit for controlling the applicator and the coating robot with control signals according to a control program, wherein the control program causes the coating system to execute a testing operation for quality assurance, wherein the testing operation comprises:
• a) specifying a test pattern to be applied to a test surface;
• b) determining control signals for controlling the applicator, wherein the control signals
• b1) are determined from the test pattern, and
• b2) control the coating system in operation in such a way that the applicator applies the test pattern to the test surface;
• c) applying the test pattern with the applicator to the test surface by controlling the coating system with the control signals;
• d) recording an image of the test pattern applied to the test surface with the sensor;
• e) determining a deviation between the test pattern and the recorded image of the actually applied test pattern;
• and
• f) determining correction values for the control signals as a function of the deviation between the test pattern and the recorded image of the actually applied test pattern;
• and
• g) wherein individual coating agent jets either comprise separate coating agent droplets or are coherent in the jet direction.