March 11, 2013—The Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) has launched the CAPA 501 Bumper Parts Standard to address issues related to the use of aftermarket structural parts for collision repairs.
The standard is based on comparative testing of an aftermarket part to the car company brand counterpart.
In addition to requirements for material composition, mechanical properties, construction features, fit and appearance, the CAPA 501 Standard also includes a series of full part dynamic crash tests.
“We’re all familiar with the saying ‘If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and swims like a duck, it’s a duck,’” said Jack Gillis, executive director of CAPA. “While not particularly technical, that old expression explains the CAPA certification philosophy. If an aftermarket part uses the same materials, construction features, dimensions and geometry as the car company brand part, then it can be expected to perform in a truly comparable manner to the car company brand part.”
While CAPA’s Technical Committee approved the standard in 2010, only Production Bumper Stampings Inc. has chosen to submit their parts to CAPA for certification. Bumper Stampings now has 29 CAPA-certified front bumpers representing more than 40,000 available parts.
