A method of applying a coating material to a turbomachine component, where a previously applied coating has been removed from the turbomachine component, wherein a plurality of cooling apertures (18, 19, 20) is provided in the turbomachine component, the plurality of cooling apertures (18, 19, 20) comprising at least a first set of apertures and a second set of apertures, the method comprising the steps of: (a) obtaining data about at least one characteristic of a plurality of cooling apertures (18, 19, 20) in the turbomachine component; (b) determining a masking plan for masking the plurality of cooling apertures (18, 19, 20) in the turbomachine component during a cooling aperture coating process based upon the at least one characteristic of the cooling apertures (18,19,20); (c) applying a masking material to the turbomachine component according to the masking plan, after the removing of the previously applied coating; and (d) applying a coating material to the turbomachine component after the applying of the masking material according to the masking plan. (e) detecting the data about the at least one characteristic of the plurality of cooling apertures (18, 19, 20) in the turbomachine component, wherein the data about the characteristic of the plurality of cooling apertures (18, 19, 20) includes detection data about a location of the plurality of cooling apertures (18, 19, 20) and data obtained from a computer-aided design data model of the turbomachine component; wherein the characteristic of the plurality of cooling apertures (18, 19, 20) includes at least one of a size of each of the plurality of cooling apertures (18, 19, 20), a shape of each of the plurality of cooling apertures (18, 19, 20), a type of each of the plurality of cooling apertures or a location of each of the plurality of cooling apertures (18, 19,20), wherein the computer-aided design data model includes data about the size and/or shape of apertures (18, 19, 20) in the turbomachine component; and wherein the masking plan includes masking at least one cooling aperture (18, 19, 20) of the first set of apertures using a first mask type and masking at least one distinct cooling aperture (18, 19, 20) of the second set of apertures using a second mask type, distinct from the first mask type, wherein the first mask type protects against a first subsequent coating process, and wherein the second mask type protects against a second, distinct subsequent coating process. (a) obtaining data about at least one characteristic of a plurality of cooling apertures (18, 19, 20) in the turbomachine component; (b) determining a masking plan for masking the plurality of cooling apertures (18, 19, 20) in the turbomachine component during a cooling aperture coating process based upon the at least one characteristic of the cooling apertures (18,19,20); (c) applying a masking material to the turbomachine component according to the masking plan, after the removing of the previously applied coating; and (d) applying a coating material to the turbomachine component after the applying of the masking material according to the masking plan. (e) detecting the data about the at least one characteristic of the plurality of cooling apertures (18, 19, 20) in the turbomachine component, wherein the data about the characteristic of the plurality of cooling apertures (18, 19, 20) includes detection data about a location of the plurality of cooling apertures (18, 19, 20) and data obtained from a computer-aided design data model of the turbomachine component;