As automakers continually redesign their vehicles, collision repair shops have to adapt to new construction methods, materials, dimensions and repair procedures
New 2016 model year cars and trucks are hitting the roads, which means it won’t be long before some are involved in collisions and start appearing at your shop. Are you prepared for these new vehicles? If not, you’ll likely waste valuable time playing catch-up and could even drive away potential customers.
Staying on top of vehicle design updates is no small task. According to data from the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), every model year changeover affects 40 to 60 models. Think about it this way: since there are 52 weeks in a year, that means automakers are redesigning close to one new vehicle each week!
While dealers only have to adapt to the handful of changes made within their brand lines, independent collision repair shops must be prepared for all new vehicles. How can you ensure your facility is ready for 2016 and beyond? Here are four steps you can take throughout the year to limit the possibility that you’ll be caught off-guard by updates in vehicle construction methods, materials, dimensions and OEM repair procedures:
1. Take advantage of training opportunities
In order to properly return today’s collision-damaged vehicles to OEM specifications, technicians and estimators must be familiar with how they are designed and built. Fortunately, year-round training opportunities are available to help provide this knowledge.
Since the collision repair industry has evolved rapidly over the last decade, many training providers have developed new courses to meet the needs of today’s shops. Look for interactive, hands-on sessions led by experienced collision repair professionals to ensure the learning environment will be as close as possible to real-world conditions.
Each provider’s curriculum may vary slightly, but here are some core courses that a technician or estimator should attend to get up to speed:
Design Based Repair: A design based repair course will cover the new materials found in today’s vehicles, and how automakers use those materials to construct lightweight, safe vehicles. An up-to-date course should cover the properties of advanced high-strength steels and aluminum, and the latest bonding techniques used to construct vehicle structures.
Aluminum Analysis and Repair: There’s no hotter topic in the collision repair industry than aluminum. While aluminum repair techniques are different than those for traditional steel, they are not difficult to learn with the right training.
Computerized Measuring: Gone are the days when simple mechanical and point-to-point systems were sufficiently accurate to measure damaged vehicles. Today’s cars and trucks are built to tight tolerances and must be measured with advanced computerized measuring methods in order to be properly returned to OEM specs. Of course, even the most advanced technology is only as good as the technician using it, so training is essential.
Collision Dynamics: As automakers find new ways to direct impact forces away from the passenger compartment while also lightening vehicles for improved fuel economy, vehicles are behaving differently in collisions than they used to. Even experienced technicians can benefit from an update on collision dynamics and how to find all the damage in a vehicle.
2. Update your vehicle specifications
When it comes to modern vehicles, accurate spec data is the foundation of every repair. This data includes measurements for window and door openings, tailgates, hoods, engine compartments, trunks and rear hatches, and body widths, and is necessary for knowing how much damage is present.
Often, it is hard to tell at a glance if a vehicle has changed from one model year to another. The only way to really know is to check your spec data. To ensure you receive the latest pre-release and new vehicle updates as soon as they are available, sign up for an annual online subscription. That way, new data will be automatically delivered to your measuring workstations without any installation hassles or delays.
Even the latest spec data is of no use, though, unless it is accurate. Automakers today engineer airbags to deploy within milliseconds of a collision. If your repair is off even by the slightest margins due to inaccurate specs, it could change airbag timing and seriously compromise the safety of the vehicle. Your spec provider should compile its data by measuring each vehicle with the frame anchored and the suspension unloaded in order to provide useable, real-world information for the technician.
3. Equip your shop with the right tools
New vehicles require more than just a quick visual inspection during the estimating process. That’s because they’re designed to direct collision forces around the passenger compartment and into areas specifically built to absorb an impact. Without advanced measuring tools, there’s a chance “hidden” damage in areas not directly affected by the collision will go unnoticed.
In order to efficiently assess each vehicle and compile accurate estimates, the estimator should be equipped with a multi-point computerized measuring system. The best systems map the entire vehicle frame in three dimensions at once, making it easier to see and document where the structure is out of alignment. These systems can also be used by technicians during the pulling process to show dimensional changes in real-time. That way, there’s less risk that pulling will inflict more damage into the vehicle.
Technicians also need new tools to repair the aluminum panels and components found in today’s vehicles. These tools include inverter pulsed MIG/MAG welders designed for aluminum’s unique characteristics, rivet guns, induction heaters, panel bonding adhesives, benches and racks, along with weld fume extractors, aluminum dust extractors and curtains or clean rooms. All aluminum tools should be kept on a dedicated aluminum work station to prevent cross-contamination with steel tools, which can cause galvanic corrosion on a vehicle’s bare metal.
4. Access the latest OEM repair procedures
Of course, no amount of training, data or new equipment can compensate for a lack of access to OEM repair procedures. These procedures outline the specific techniques and tools that should be used in order to properly repair a vehicle.
Some automakers provide more detailed repair procedures than others. It’s important to remember, though, that deviating from any part of the process or skipping even the smallest detail could increase the risk that your shop will be held liable for an incorrect repair. If an incorrect repair results in a car or truck being totaled by its insurer, your shop could be held liable for the vehicle’s full cost.
Most OEMs make their repair procedures available via an online subscription or a third-party provider. Typically, if an automaker provides its repair procedures through an online subscription, those procedures will be available as soon as the vehicle goes to market. This can help to ensure your shop is ready for any vehicle. If needed, OEM repair procedures can also be purchased on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.
