Most of the damage resulting from everyday vehicle collisions can be
repaired, and vehicles can be refinished to look and drive like new.
Automotive body repairers, often called collision repair technicians,
straighten bent bodies, remove dents, and replace crumpled parts that cannot
be fixed. They repair all types of vehicles, and although some work on large
trucks, buses, or tractor-trailers, most work on cars and small trucks. They
can work alone, with only general direction from supervisors, or as
specialists on a repair team. In some shops, helpers or apprentices assist
experienced repairers.
Each damaged vehicle presents different challenges for repairers. Using
their broad knowledge of automotive construction and repair techniques,
automotive body repairers must decide how to handle each job based on what
the vehicle is made of and what needs to be fixed. They must first determine
the extent of the damage and order any needed parts.
If the car is heavily damaged, an automotive body repairer might
start
by realigning the frame of the vehicle. Repairers chain or clamp frames and
sections to alignment machines that use hydraulic pressure to align damaged
components. “Unibody” vehicles—designs built without frames—must be restored
to precise factory specifications for the vehicle to operate correctly. For
these vehicles, repairers use benchmark systems to accurately measure how
much each section is out of alignment, and hydraulic machinery to return the
vehicle to its original shape.
