Collision Repair
Thousands of motor vehicles are damaged in traffic accidents every day. Although some are junked, most can be made to look and drive like new. Automotive body repairers straighten bent bodies, remove dents, and replace crumpled parts that are beyond repair. Usually, they can fix all types of vehicles, but most body repairers work on cars and small trucks. A few work on large trucks, buses, or tractor-trailers.
When a damaged vehicle is brought into the shop, body repairers generally receive instructions from their supervisors, who have determined which parts are to be restored or replaced and how much time the job should take.
Automotive body repairers use special machines to restore damaged frames and body sections to their original shape and location. They chain or clamp the frames and sections to alignment machines that usually use hydraulic pressure to align the damaged metal. For “unicoupe” designs, which are built without frames, they also use bench systems to return body sections to precise alignment.
Body repairers use plastic or solder to fill small dents, which cannot be worked out of the plastic or metal panel. On metal panels, they then file or grind the hardened filler to the original shape and sand it before painting. In smaller shops, workers often do both body repairing and painting.
Body repair work has variety and challenge; each damaged vehicle presents a different problem. Repairers must develop appropriate methods for each job, using their broad knowledge of automotive construction and repair techniques.
Starting salaries of most Auto Body Repair graduates range between $13,000 and $22,000 per year, depending upon job location and individual competence.
Employment of automotive body repairers is expected to increase about as fast as the average for all occupations. As the number of motor vehicles in operation grows with the nation’s population, the number damaged in accidents will increase as well. In addition, requirements for body repairers will increase because new, lighter weight automotive designs are prone to greater collision damage than older, heavier designs. The need to replace experienced repairers who retire, transfer to other occupations, or stop working for other reasons will account for the majority of job openings.