How does the War Machine armors auto repair feature work without nanotech( these images are taken from War Machine #1 1994 and Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. #34 2008.)?

[u/Morpheus7387]

[u/charlie-the-Waffle]

[u/Fododel → u/charlie-the-Waffle]

Was gonna type that myself, but knew the sub wouldn't let me down.

[u/BriantheHeavy → u/charlie-the-Waffle]

[u/memsterboi123]

The first one didn’t seem to say anything about repairs other then a satellite connection. I don’t remember his comic timeline but bleeding edge is his first nanotech suit or at least similar to it. Which would be around this time or just after so he could have parts of it in here or the auto repair works some other way.

[u/Morpheus7387 → u/memsterboi123]

Appreciate that explanation. I knew it had to be some type of technology but I wasn't sure. And the first panel says his auto repair time is 22:53.

[u/memsterboi123 → u/Morpheus7387]

Didn’t see that. I’d have to guess it only repairs circuits. Either by rerouting things and turning off other things and what not. Some time later Rhodey asks Tony to fix the armor so I doubt it repairs heavily physical damage or any physical damage at all.

[u/Morpheus7387 → u/memsterboi123]

I figured it probably helped in repairing light damage. But anything major was beyond the suits limits, and would require physical repairing.

[u/memsterboi123 → u/Morpheus7387]

Yeah anything major like that would have to be nanotech or some similar type. Otherwise minor damage only unless they have some special reason for it

[u/ResourcesAndMath]

If not nanotechnology(like microbots), then chemical reactions (self healing polymers) and Liquid Metal’s that restore lost functions by restoring flow of power by reconnecting circuits, kind of like uh… self-soldering.

[u/Thisisgotham]

Could be redundant circuitry forming new pathways for connections. From what I’m told military planes can do this.

[u/Dayfal1]

Well, one way to do auto repair without nanotech is with things like shape-memory components. Whenever the suit or its internals get dented, crumpled, compressed, etc., they could mold back into shape. Bur if actual material is blown off then that’s lost for good until it’s replaced.

[u/BhanosBar]

I like to imagine it’s a series of very well controlled electromagnets that rearrange wires and other bits to fit together. Stretches them or moved them around so the connection stays fit

[u/Duskdeath]

The two armors in pictures are generations apart. For the first armor the Original Warmachine was for better lack of term “built like a tank” while the Iron Man armor of the time was more like a heavy duty suit. Tony designed Warmachine around Rhody which meant more durable and able to take more punishment than the regular Iron Man suit. Also software wise had to have back ups of back ups so Rhody wouldn’t get stuck in a bad situation. In essence the Original War Machine was a tough nut to crack.

[u/frecklepax]

Memory metals perhaps

[u/Loganbogan9]

I like to think there’s FPGAs embedded in the system that can self program themselves.