Red Seal Auto Body Technician study plan
Red Seal Auto Body Technician · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Metal Repair and Panel Replacement & Occupational Skills and Safety
List the personal protective equipment and ventilation controls required for each major collision-repair operation, and state the hazard each control addresses
Identify the tools used for metal repair and panel replacement (hammers and dollies, stud welder, panel adhesive gun, spot weld cutter, squeeze-type resistance spot welder) and describe the purpose of each
Explain how to safely support and stabilize a vehicle on a frame rack or lift before and during pulls, including blocking and tie-down points
Describe the procedure for disconnecting and reconnecting a high-voltage battery on a hybrid or electric vehicle before body work begins
Outline the steps to remove and reinstall a bolted-on front fender, including fastener locations and panel-gap checks
Your checkpoint
A one-page PPE and hazard-control matrix covering at least eight body-shop operations, plus a written fender R&R procedure with at least eight sequential steps
Metal Repair and Panel Replacement & Vehicle Body Construction and Materials
Compare mild steel, high-strength steel, ultra-high-strength steel, aluminum, and plastic/composite panels by strength, repairability, and approved joining method
Explain how sectioning locations are chosen on a unitized body and why manufacturer-published sectioning points must be followed
Describe the difference between a welded-on and a bolted-on panel and how that changes the repair strategy
Identify the corrosion-protection requirements (zinc-rich primer, cavity wax, seam sealer) that apply after panel replacement
Explain how heat affects the strength of high-strength and ultra-high-strength steel and what that means for straightening and welding
Your checkpoint
A materials reference table with at least six material types and columns for strength level, typical body location, repair allowance, and joining method
Metal Repair and Panel Replacement & Welding, Cutting, and Joining
Set up and perform a squeeze-type resistance spot weld on a lap joint coupon, and evaluate the weld by destructive peel test
Perform a plug weld and a continuous MIG butt weld on thin-gauge sheet steel without burn-through, then inspect for penetration and porosity
Describe how to prepare, fit, and clamp a panel for adhesive bonding, and state the open and clamp time considerations
Explain when to use a plasma cutter versus a reciprocating saw versus a spot weld cutter, and the risk each poses to adjacent panels
Identify the correct filler-metal and shielding-gas choice for the base materials in a given repair scenario
Your checkpoint
A weld log recording at least four coupons (two spot, one plug, one butt) with settings used, destructive test result, and a pass/fail judgment
Frame and Structural Repair & Damage Assessment and Estimating
Explain the difference between a unitized body, a body-on-frame vehicle, and a space frame, and how each carries collision energy
Describe how to take and record a datum and centerline measurement, and interpret a measurement printout to decide whether a pull is required
Explain the sequence of a structural pull, including anchoring, pulling direction, overpull, and stress-relief steps
Read a repair estimate line by line and identify the operations that indicate hidden or structural damage
Explain what a supplemental estimate is and when a technician should request one
Your checkpoint
A worked damage-assessment case: a written estimate-style breakdown for a hypothetical front-corner hit that identifies at least three structural items and justifies a measurement and pull
Damage Assessment and Estimating & Surface Preparation and Body Filling
Describe the steps to inspect a repaired panel for straightness, including hand-feel and guide-coat methods
Explain how to choose between metal finishing, body filler, and replacement for a given dent depth and location
Mix, apply, and shape body filler on a prepared panel, then sand to profile with the correct grit sequence
Identify surface contaminants and the correct cleaning and abrading steps before filler and before primer
Explain the purpose of epoxy primer, primer surfacer, and sealer, and the order in which they are applied
Your checkpoint
A body-filler job on a practice panel, documented with before and after photos plus a written grit sequence and a straightness check against a guide coat
Refinishing and Paint Application
Explain how to match a color using a spray-out card and adjust for variant, then tint a mix to match the vehicle
Describe the correct gun setup, fluid and air adjustment, and spray technique for a full panel versus a blend within a panel
Explain the difference between a basecoat/clearcoat system and a single-stage system, and when each is used
Identify the causes of runs, orange peel, solvent pop, and mottling, and the corrective action for each
Describe the correct procedure to cut and polish a cured clearcoat without burning through
Your checkpoint
A spray-out and blend exercise on a practice panel with a documented color match decision, gun settings, and a defect-cause log for any defects produced
Glass, Trim, and Interior Components & Occupational Skills and Safety
Describe the removal and installation procedure for a bonded windshield, including urethane bead placement and safe-drive-away time
Explain how to remove and reinstall interior trim and door hardware without damaging clips or fasteners
Identify the safety hazards of handling tempered and laminated glass, and the correct disposal steps
Describe the procedure for calibrating driver-assistance sensors and cameras after glass or body work, and why it is required
Explain how to verify that airbag and restraint systems are safe to work around and are functioning after repair
Your checkpoint
A written glass and trim R&R checklist for one vehicle type covering at least ten steps, including the sensor recalibration step and the safe-drive-away note
Occupational Skills and Safety & Vehicle Body Construction and Materials & Damage Assessment and Estimating & Metal Repair and Panel Replacement & Frame and Structural Repair & Welding, Cutting, and Joining & Surface Preparation and Body Filling & Refinishing and Paint Application & Glass, Trim, and Interior Components
Complete a timed practice exam across all nine domains and record the score per domain
Re-study the two lowest-scoring domains and write a short summary of the key facts for each
Rehearse the safety and hazardous-materials rules that appear across multiple domains, including WHMIS-style labeling and waste handling
Review measurement, welding, and refinishing terminology that is easy to confuse under exam pressure
Your checkpoint
A timed practice-exam score sheet with per-domain results and a written remediation summary for the two weakest domains
Milestones
Week 2: Can explain, without notes, why ultra-high-strength steel must not be heated or straightened in the same way as mild steel
Week 4: Can read a measurement printout and state whether a structural pull is required, and in which direction
Week 6: Produces a passing blend on a practice panel with no runs or burn-through, and can name the cause of any defect
Week 8: Scores at least 75 percent on the timed practice exam with no domain below 60 percent