A system for depositing a face coating on a monolithic catalytic substrate comprising: an in-feed system; an out-feed system; at least one conveyor motor operatively associated with the in-feed system and out-feed system, which drives the in-feed system and out-feed system at a specified speed; a motor controller in electrical communication with the at least one conveyor motor that controls a specified feed speed produced by the at least one conveyor motor; a coating liquid applicator positioned between the in-feed system and out-feed system, wherein the coating liquid applicator comprises an inside core and an outside nap having a height; and a coating liquid trough positioned below the coating liquid applicator that is configured and dimensioned to receive the full length of the coating liquid applicator within the coating liquid trough and retains a coating liquid, and wherein the coating liquid trough is vertically positioned so that the nap of the coating liquid applicator is at least partially submerged within the coating liquid, the system further comprises a coating liquid applicator motor operatively associated with the coating liquid applicator, which drives the coating liquid applicator at a specified rotational speed a clutch connected in between and operatively associated with the coating liquid applicator motor and coating liquid applicator; and wherein the motor controller is in electrical communication with the coating liquid applicator motor and controls the specified rotational speed produced by the coating liquid applicator motor, and the system further comprises a light source; a light sensor; and one or more light beams that follows a light path from the light source to the light sensor that crosses the coating liquid applicator, wherein the light path is above the horizontal plane of the in-feed and out-feed conveyors and a predetermined height below the height of the nap of the coating liquid applicator, so the coating liquid applicator initially blocks the one or more light beams. an in-feed system; an out-feed system; at least one conveyor motor operatively associated with the in-feed system and out-feed system, which drives the in-feed system and out-feed system at a specified speed; a motor controller in electrical communication with the at least one conveyor motor that controls a specified feed speed produced by the at least one conveyor motor; a coating liquid applicator positioned between the in-feed system and out-feed system, wherein the coating liquid applicator comprises an inside core and an outside nap having a height; and a coating liquid trough positioned below the coating liquid applicator that is configured and dimensioned to receive the full length of the coating liquid applicator within the coating liquid trough and retains a coating liquid, and wherein the coating liquid trough is vertically positioned so that the nap of the coating liquid applicator is at least partially submerged within the coating liquid, the system further comprises a coating liquid applicator motor operatively associated with the coating liquid applicator, which drives the coating liquid applicator at a specified rotational speed a clutch connected in between and operatively associated with the coating liquid applicator motor and coating liquid applicator; and wherein the motor controller is in electrical communication with the coating liquid applicator motor and controls the specified rotational speed produced by the coating liquid applicator motor, and the system further comprises a light source; a light sensor; and one or more light beams that follows a light path from the light source to the light sensor that crosses the coating liquid applicator, wherein the light path is above the horizontal plane of the in-feed and out-feed conveyors and a predetermined height below the height of the nap of the coating liquid applicator, so the coating liquid applicator initially blocks the one or more light beams.