Craftsman Motor Vehicles Body Repair key terms

The gloves, respirators, eye protection, hearing protection, and protective clothing a technician wears to reduce exposure to dust, solvents, sparks, and airborne particles during repair and refinishing work.

A standardized document supplied with a chemical product that lists its hazards, required protective measures, first-aid steps, and safe handling and storage instructions.

A health hazard from breathing or skin contact with hardeners used in many automotive paints and clearcoats, which can cause asthma and severe allergic reactions and requires supplied-air or approved respiratory protection.

An enclosed, ventilated work area with filtered intake and exhaust air that controls overspray, keeps dust off wet finishes, and protects workers from solvent and isocyanate vapors.

The manufacturer-specified steps, such as removing the service disconnect or following a shutdown sequence, that isolate high-voltage circuits before work begins on hybrid or electric vehicles.

The airbags, pretensioners, and related sensors that deploy during a collision; they must be disarmed and given safe waiting time before any work near them or their wiring.

A unique 17-character code stamped on the vehicle and used to confirm the exact build, engine, trim, and production date when ordering parts or verifying repair history.

A vehicle design in which the body panels and floor are welded into a single stressed structure that carries the load, so damaged sections must be repaired to restore both shape and strength.

A design in which a separate steel frame carries the load and the body is bolted to it, allowing panels and sometimes the body itself to be replaced without cutting structural members.

An engineered area of the front or rear structure designed to fold and absorb energy in a collision, protecting the occupant compartment from the full force of impact.

Steel grades with greater yield strength than mild steel, often used in occupant protection areas; they resist straightening and usually must be replaced rather than repaired when deformed.

The way a vehicle's structure redirects and absorbs impact forces through designed deformation paths, which guides how damage is analyzed and which parts can be repaired versus replaced.

The systematic inspection of a collision-damaged vehicle to identify direct and indirect damage, hidden structural deformation, and all parts and operations needed for a complete, safe repair.

Additional damage discovered after the initial estimate is written, such as hidden damage behind a panel, which must be documented and approved before the extra repair work proceeds.

The written authorization that records the customer's complaint, approved work, parts, labor operations, and charges, and serves as the legal and communication record for the job.

A published reference that lists standard hours for specific repair operations, used to build consistent estimates and work orders for panel replacement, refinish, and structural work.

The even spacing and surface alignment between adjacent body panels, checked with gauges and adjusted during fitting so doors, hoods, and fenders close smoothly and look correct.

The process of adjusting hinges, latches, and mounting points so a replacement or repaired panel sits at the correct height, angle, and spacing relative to surrounding panels.

Placing thin spacers at hinges or mounting points to raise, lower, or tilt a panel so gaps and body lines match the original design during alignment.

Replacing only the damaged portion of a panel or structural member by cutting at a manufacturer-approved location and joining the new piece, preserving the original part and its fit.

Using hammers, dollies, spoons, and pulling tools to return deformed sheet metal to its original contour while controlling stretch and minimizing the need for filler.

Reducing stretched or oil-canned metal back to its original size using heat, a shrinking hammer, or a stud gun so the panel regains its shape and strength.

The condition in which sheet metal is hammered or pulled beyond its original size, leaving a raised or oil-canned area that must be shrunk before finishing.

A two-part polyester paste applied over prepared metal to smooth minor imperfections; it must be mixed to the correct ratio, applied in thin coats, and shaped before sanding.

A thin, fine-grained filler used to fill pinholes, sand scratches, and very small imperfections after the main body filler has been sanded and shaped.

A coating applied to plastics and some metals to improve the bond of paint or filler, especially on low-surface-energy plastics where normal primers do not grip well.

A molded marking on a plastic part that identifies its material family, which determines whether it can be repaired, welded, or must be replaced and which adhesives will bond it.

Joining thermoplastic parts by melting the base material and a compatible filler rod together, producing a repair that flexes and finishes like the original panel.

A wire-feed welding process using a shielding gas to join steel panels; the technician selects wire size, voltage, and wire speed to produce a sound weld without burn-through.

A weld made by filling a drilled or punched hole in the outer panel so it fuses to the panel beneath, commonly used to attach replacement panels at factory-style joints.

A series of short welds spaced along a seam, used instead of one continuous bead to control heat input and limit panel distortion during welding.

The area of metal next to a weld that has been altered by heat, which can lose strength or hardness and must be considered when welding high-strength or structural steel.

A two-part structural or non-structural adhesive used to attach replacement panels, often combined with welds, spreading stress over the joint instead of concentrating it at weld points.

Pulling a bent frame or structural member back to its original dimensions using a frame machine, chains, and hydraulic rams while measuring against factory specifications.

The tools, such as a laser, tram gauge, or computerized system, used to compare a vehicle's structural reference points to factory dimensions before, during, and after straightening.

Applying color to the adjacent panel so the new finish fades gradually into the original paint, hiding a color difference at the repair edge without repainting the whole vehicle.

A sandable coating applied over bodywork to fill minor scratches and provide a uniform surface that promotes adhesion and blocks the color coat from absorbing unevenly.

A light mist of contrasting color applied over primer or filler so low spots and scratches show up during sanding, confirming when the surface is truly flat.

A spray gun that uses high air volume at low pressure to atomize paint, improving transfer efficiency and reducing overspray compared with conventional high-pressure guns.

A strong, flexible adhesive used to bond windshields and other glass to the body, restoring structural strength and keeping occupants inside during a rollover.

The minimum curing period specified by the adhesive maker before a vehicle with newly installed glass may be driven, ensuring the bond is strong enough for airbag deployment.

A specialized pry, fork, or pliers designed to release trim and interior fasteners without breaking the clips or damaging the panel surface underneath.