This adoption is accelerating and will have a significant impact on how collision repair shops operate in the near future, according to I-CAR's Steve Marks and Jason Bartanen. At NACE on Thursday, Marks and Bartanen gave a presentation entitled "Lightweight Vehicle Structures – The Effect on the Collision Repair Industry," in which they covered the unique repair aspects of each of these new materials, and how quickly shops would need to adjust their equipment and processes to successfully repair these vehicles.
"Everyone is aware that high-strength and ultra-high- strength steels are being used, but I don't think they are aware of how fast this is ramping up," Marks said. "It was not that long ago that you could predict specifically where you were going to find high- strength and ultra-high-strength steel in a vehicle: bumper reinforcements, side-impact protection, roof rails, etc. Now we're seeing it throughout the car."
The steels also are stronger, with ultra-high-strength steels boasting tensile strengths upwards of 1,700 MPa (versus 1,200 or 1,400 MPa just a few years ago).
OEM recommendations for repairing structures made from these materials also are evolving. Previously, the question was whether or not shops could weld on these components. "Now we're seeing some manufacturers who want you to spot weld everything you can, and try to recreate their assembly process in the shop," Marks said. "Others are trying to go the direction of having shops use rivet bonding or other approaches. There's not much agreement on what bonding processes will be used right now."
Magnesium is working its way into vehicles on a limited basis, mostly through cast parts. Some high- end vehicles are turning up with more composite components in the vehicle structure.
With an increase in aluminum and new steels, Marks says to expect more shops to replace rather than repair damaged sections of the vehicle. "Rather than bringing the vehicle in and spending hours figuring out how to straighten it, the general trend is going to be to cut off those sections of the vehicle and replace them," Marks said. "They'll get the damage out of he way as fast as possible and get the replacement parts joined to the vehicle. There will be a lot less pulling."
Marks and Bartanen also discussed new joining methods, and the costs shops might incur through training and new equipment.
Marks said it remains to be seen whether or not the new materials, coupled with the trend of replacing parts rather than repairing them, will drive up repair costs (and total losses). "Once you get into the mindset of going as fast as you can, finding the damage, and then cutting off those parts and replacing them, it's hard to say whether it will be more expensive," Marks says. "You're buying more parts, but you're using less labor and reducing rental car times and other expenses."
