Abstract: 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.

Abstract: In various embodiments, the present invention provides a structured abrasive article. The structured abrasive article includes an abrasive layer disposed on a backing. The abrasive layer includes shaped abrasive composites, which include abrasive particles dispersed in a polymeric binder. Each of the shaped abrasive composites independently includes a contoured base, which includes a first end disposed on the backing, a second end, and a plurality of sidewalls connecting the first end and the second end. A plurality of walls extends away from the contoured base. The abrasive article additionally includes a grinding surface, which includes a plurality of cusps and a plurality of facets that contact a recessed feature capable of being contained within a geometric plane. A portion of the recessed feature is disposed closer to the contoured base than is each of the cusps, and each cusp is formed by an intersection of two of the walls and a facet.