Labor Operations, Procedures, and OEM Repair Information Use
What this domain tests
This domain tests whether you can find and follow the OEM procedure rather than a habitual method. It covers OEM body repair manuals, position statements, I-CAR repair information, welding and joining methods, sectioning, corrosion protection and calibration requirements.
Core rules
- The OEM procedure governs: cut points, weld type and count, adhesive and rivet patterns, sealer locations, cavity wax, and whether a part may be repaired at all.
- Position statements override habit. They commonly address pre- and post-repair scanning, calibration, refinish requirements and prohibited repair methods.
- Joining methods differ by material: squeeze-type resistance spot welding for steel, MIG brazing where heat must be limited, rivet bonding with structural adhesive for aluminum and some UHSS applications.
- Sectioning is allowed only at OEM-designated locations. If the procedure gives no cut point, the panel is replaced complete.
- Print or save the procedure and the position statement for the file; a reviewer will ask for them.
Worked example
An aluminum-intensive quarter panel needs replacement. The OEM procedure specifies rivet bonding with structural adhesive, a stated rivet pattern, a specific adhesive bond-line width and cavity wax afterwards. The estimate therefore carries a sectioning or full-panel operation at structural labor, plus adhesive, rivets, sealers and wax as materials, plus the required post-repair scan. Reasoning: the procedure, not the visible damage, defines the operations and the materials.
Traps
Using a generic repair method because we always do it that way; charging body labor for a structural procedure; omitting adhesive, rivets, sealers and wax; skipping the position-statement scan requirement; and failing to keep procedure documentation that supports the line items.