Aluminum is continuing to evolve as a material of choice in OEM car design. Much of the increased use of aluminum is due to the need to meet government-mandated emissions requirements and for fuel economy. There are several reasons why aluminum is becoming popular as an OEM substrate.
Aluminum is a lightweight material that offers a cost-effective method for increasing performance, boosting fuel economy and reducing emissions in vehicles. Technological advances in manufacturing have made it easier to work with aluminum, compared to 20 years ago. Aluminum manufacturing is also escalating, helping to bring costs down and removing aluminum’s once “exotic” classification. It is now a more mainstream substrate and is being used, alongside plastics and high-strength steels, in vehicle manufacturing.
Aluminum evolution
When Ford Motor Company introduced its aluminum-bodied F-150 pickup truck in 2014, the auto industry underwent an evolution. No longer was aluminum a substrate used solely in high-end vehicles. Aluminum was perceived as a safe, viable alternative to traditional all-steel vehicles. The Ford F-150 models offered reduced weight for fuel efficiency, along with improved acceleration, braking and handling. It weighed up to 700-pounds less than previous all-steel models.
Building on its success with the F-150, Ford’s 2017 Super Duty® truck features an all-new high-strength, military-grade aluminum alloy body on an all-new, fully-boxed frame of over 95-percent, high-strength steel. The Super-Duty truck is up to 350 pounds lighter. Converting to the aluminum alloy in the body design allowed Ford to realize the weight savings.
How then is the evolution of aluminum in body design affecting collision repair shops? Basically, any changes that auto repair technicians must make to accommodate the repair of aluminum vehicles is really no different than how collision repair shops have adapted to other changes in the industry. The key to working with aluminum is to understand the differences and get the training needed to make the proper repairs.
It’s just metal, it’s just aluminum and it’s just a little different to work with – but once you have learned how to work with aluminum, it will be just as “easy” as working with steel and plastic substrates. If you roll back the clock to the late 60s when plastics were first used in vehicles, the industry faced the same challenges. Technicians did not know how to fix plastics, so it was a learning curve while the collision repair industry became more familiar with their use. The same evolution is taking place in the industry now with the increased use of aluminum.
OEM Evolution
Although there has been an expected focus on the particular products and procedures to use when repairing aluminum vehicles, it should be noted that changes in the collision repair industry are not due just to the use of more aluminum. There has been a shift in the repair information distribution route from the OEMs over the past several years.
Vehicle systems have become much more complicated, especially with the introduction of electronics, such as restraint systems, stability control devices and lane departure systems. It’s becoming more imperative for a repair technician to have the training needed to repair these more sophisticated vehicles. Changes in vehicle design happen much more quickly than in previous years, with new designs being introduced from year-to-year, even within the same models.
A technician must focus on the proper way to go forward to repair each particular vehicle. Especially with aluminum vehicles, it is important to know the specific grade of aluminum used in a hood, panel or component. Many autos have aluminum hoods, but all aluminums are not created equally. That is why it is crucial to check with the OEM to understand what type of aluminum is involved and how to properly perform a repair procedure for a specific vehicle.
OEMs, therefore, are becoming more involved in disseminating repair information to collision repair shops. The OEMs have a vested interest in making sure that their vehicles are repaired properly and returned to “like new” condition. OEMs are also realizing that the repair parts channel can be a profit center, and subsequently, they are recommending the use of OEM-approved replacement parts and products.
Collision repair evolution
At the OEM level, there is more of an effort being made to ensure that the process to repair a vehicle is identified and defined. To that end, many OEMs are recommending certain products be used to repair a vehicle. For aluminum repair, it’s not that the products are different from the ones used on steel-bodied vehicles, but it’s important to use the OEM-recommended products or an equivalent.
Products that are recommended for aftermarket use usually come about after they have been adopted by an OEM. For instance, several years ago, when crash-durable or impact-durable products were introduced to and used by the OEMs, they then began recommending them for repair operations. They wanted the same bonding and sealing products to be used for repair as were used in the manufacture of the vehicle.
| Aluminum Alloy Grades |
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More than 60 years ago, the Aluminum Association established the wrought alloy designation system through its Technical Committee on Product Standards (TCPS), which was adopted in the U.S. in 1954. When the current system was originally developed, the list included 75 unique chemical compositions. Today, there are more than 530 registered active compositions and that number continues to grow. What is an Aluminum Alloy? Commercially Pure Aluminum Heat-Treatable Alloys 2xxx Series 6xxx Series 7xxx Series Non Heat-Treatable Alloys 3xxx Series 4xxx Series Magnesium is the primary alloying agent in the 5xxx series and is one of the most effective and widely used alloying elements for aluminum. Alloys in this series possess moderate to high strength characteristics, as well as good weldability and resistance to corrosion in the marine environment. Because of this, aluminum-magnesium alloys are widely used in building and construction, storage tanks, pressure vessels and marine applications. |
Many OEMs have been embracing the serviceability of the vehicle body for more than 30 years, and in that process, the choice of adhesives and sealants have become more important. Recently, when Ford built the F-150 truck, repairability was a key design element. Every aluminum replacement part for the F-150 comes with instructions, a parts list, repair diagrams, and a note about the tools and supplies needed to complete the repair.
Although many products used for repairing steel- and aluminum-bodied cars are the same, there are some OEMs who do recommended specific products. This coincides with the aforementioned changes in the industry, where OEMs are becoming more involved in the repair process. And many OEMs suggest using the same products for repair as were used in the original manufacturing. Before proceeding with a repair, check with the OEM specifications on which repair products are recommended.
Your product supplier is also a good source of information on which products are specified by an OEM and how to use the products to make a successful repair. Using an OEM-specified product from a reputable supplier takes a lot of “questions out of the picture.” If you use a specified product, there should not be any problems with a repair.
Some OEMs will recommend a specific product or its “equivalent.” But equivalency cannot be determined just by reading the package label on a tube of adhesive or sealant. If the wrong product is used, the repair could be prone to failure. Here again, check with your product supplier to make sure that an equivalent product has the same formulation as an OEM- recommended product.
Aluminum repair alerts
At the same time, it is important to remember that there are specific details to be aware of when repairing aluminum vehicles. Of particular concern is the avoidance of cross-contamination when working on steel panels or parts that are adjacent to aluminum materials. Steel metallic dust or grinder sparks can deposit fine particles on aluminum parts. The fine steel particles are extremely corrosive to aluminum alloys, especially if moisture is present. Therefore, it is necessary to isolate steel and aluminum repair work areas by using shop curtains or performing these procedures in separate work areas. Similarly, a separate set of tools should be used for working on steel and aluminum parts to avoid further cross-contamination.
In most cases, a repair technician will not be working on “virgin” or exposed aluminum. However, in the manufacturing plant, assembly personnel work with bare aluminum. In the collision repair shop, the technician will handle painted aluminum panels and parts. Very little aluminum will be exposed during the repair process, and the aluminum that is exposed is localized.
Still, caution must be taken to avoid cross-contamination between steel and aluminum. An ideal method for accomplishing this is to use dust removal or extraction equipment. The equipment not only prevents cross-contamination but also protects the respiratory health of technicians. Sanding and grinding tools should be attached to a vacuum system to prevent dust particles from reaching the air. And as with the separation of other work areas and tools, separate vacuum systems should be arranged for steel and aluminum repair work.
Information sources
So how does a collision repair shop keep up-to-date with all the repair procedures, OEM specifications and products? It is extremely challenging to get all the repair information needed, and this is true whether it is for repairing aluminum- or steel-bodied vehicles. During damage analysis of a vehicle it is important to reference the OEM repair procedures so informed decisions can be made when determining what needs to be repaired or replaced. Check the OEM’s online site to find the specific repair procedures.
There are aggregate sites, such as ALLDATA, that offer OEM service and repair information to the professional automotive service and collision industries. The ALLDATA Repair database covers more than 38,000 engine-specific vehicles – 95 percent of all the vehicles on the road today. In addition to factory-direct mechanical repair information on the Repair site, ALLDATA Collision includes OEM procedures such as sectioning and structural repairs, handling new materials, and panel removal and replacement.
Another excellent source for collision repair technicians is I-CAR, short for the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair. I-CAR is an international, not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing the information, knowledge and skills required to perform complete, safe and quality repairs. Its Industry Training Alliance awards credit hours that can be applied towards I-CAR Gold Class Professional and Platinum Individual designations.
I-CAR’s training programs cover all aspects of vehicle repair such as welding, rivet bonding and MIG brazing; and they have several courses geared specifically for repairing aluminum-bodied automobiles and trucks. When the Ford F-150 truck was introduced, Ford and I-CAR developed training programs that addressed the unique processes associated with aluminum repair. Some of I-CAR’s more general aluminum-repair training programs include “Aluminum Exterior Panel Repair and Replacement” and “Aluminum GMA (MIG) Welding.”
A continuing evolution
As aluminum continues to evolve as a material of choice for OEM manufacturers, collision repair shops will also need to meet the challenge of repairing aluminum vehicles. While there are some important details to consider when working on aluminum – elimination of cross-contamination with steel and proper vacuum techniques – basic repair procedures and products remain the same. However, as more OEMs get involved in the aftermarket repair industry, technicians should make note of specific OEM repair techniques and product recommendations. This goal never changes – making repairs that return a vehicle to “like-new” condition.
