What does an Auto Body Specialist do?
Auto body repair technicians, also known as collision repair technicians, are responsible for repairing the damage caused by collision, vandalism, falling trees, hail or running into an animal. Collision technicians work on all vehicles including trucks and motorcycles. The primary job of an auto body technician is to return the vehicle to pre-accident condition. This can involve anything from removing dents to replacing panels, lights, molding, cooling and a/c systems, air bags or any other part that may be needed as a result of the claim. To do their job properly, auto body technicians must have a thorough knowledge of the structure and components of vehicles. They must also be skilled in the use of auto body tools and equipment.
Here are some things that an auto body technician may do:
1. INSPECT DAMAGED VEHICLES
Auto body estimators are responsible for inspecting damaged vehicles and writing a computerized estimate. Auto body technicians are responsible for disassembling the vehicle and writing a supplement for damage that may have been missed in the initial estimate or may have been hidden until the vehicle was taken apart.
2. STRAIGHTEN BENT FRAMES USING HYDRAULIC FRAME STRAIGHTENING MACHINES
If a frame is bent and not kinked, it can be straightened by pulling the frame with the hydraulic frame straightening equipment. If the frame is kinked, it must be replaced. We no longer heat frames to straighten them - which was the procedure in the past, as heat weakens the integrity of the metal.
In addition to frame straightening equipment, we also have a frame measuring system that measures the frame and prints out a report confirming that it is within factory specs.
3. DENTS, BODY FILLER AND PREPPING FOR PAINT
Once the vehicle has been pulled and squared and all necessary panel replacements are done, there will be some areas where small dents and scratches will have to be filled with body filler to make the panel perfect before painting begins. This body filler is known as “bondo” in the auto body repair world. Before the paint process can begin, the painter must color-match to achieve the perfect color. The vehicle must then be sanded, blocked and feather-edged so that it can be prepped for paint. Once the vehicle reaches the prep department, the damaged areas must be primed, blocked again and taped off to prevent overspray following which a sealer is applied, then the basecoat (which is the color) and finally the clearcoat. It is then buffed to remove any imperfections, detailed and quality controlled before being delivered back to the customer.
These are just some of the tasks that auto body repairers may be responsible for. As you can see, there are a lot of processes that go into restoring a vehicle to its pre-accident condition. If you are in need of auto body repair, please feel free to call us and discuss your requirements or enquire about our processes with our well-informed staff.