An apparatus for selectively applying a coating to surfaces of an object, wherein the object is a catheter (4), that includes a balloon portion on which a stent (2) is deployed, with at least one coating applicator (30a,30b,30c) deployed so as to deposit a fluid so as to coat at least a portion of said stent (2) and a drive system (10,12,14,16,1860,62,64,66) deployed so as to provide relative movement between the object and an optical scanning device (32a,32b), and between the object and said coating applicator (30a,30b,30c) wherein said optical scanning device (32a,32b) is configured so as to produce output indicative of optical properties of the surfaces of the stent (2) and of the balloon portion and wherein a processing unit (36) selectively activates said coating applicator (30a,30b,30c) to apply coating to the surface of the stent and not to the surface of the balloon portion depending on said output, with an application compartment (40) capable of providing a sterile environment.
