Automotive Body Repair & Painting NC II key terms

Wearable gear such as respirators, gloves, safety glasses, and coveralls that shields the body from paint mist, solvents, dust, sparks, and sharp metal edges during repair work.

A document supplied with a chemical product that lists its hazards, safe handling steps, required protective gear, first-aid measures, and spill response. Workers must read it before opening the container.

An allergic reaction of the airways caused by repeated breathing of isocyanate hardeners found in two-part paints and clearcoats. Once sensitized, a person may react to very small exposures and may be unable to keep working with these products.

A safety procedure in which the power source of equipment is switched off, locked, and tagged so it cannot be restarted while someone is servicing or clearing it.

The three things needed for a fire: fuel, oxygen, and an ignition source. Removing any one of them stops combustion, which is why solvents are stored away from sparks and heat.

A step-by-step review of a task that identifies each hazard and the control measure to be used before work starts. It is often done as a short toolbox talk at the beginning of a shift.

A measuring tool with a fixed and a sliding jaw plus a fine scale that reads inside, outside, and depth dimensions to a fraction of a millimeter. Used to check panel gaps, bolt sizes, and material thickness.

A set of thin metal blades of known thickness used to measure narrow gaps, such as valve clearances or the space between a door and a fender.

A wrench that clicks or signals when a preset twisting force is reached, ensuring bolts are tightened to the manufacturer's specification without stretching or breaking them.

The exact tightening force, usually given in newton-meters or foot-pounds, that a fastener must receive. Following it prevents loosening from vibration and damage to threads or surrounding metal.

A power tool fitted with a shield or cover over its moving or cutting parts, protecting the operator from flying debris and preventing fingers from contacting the blade or disc.

A hand-held power tool with a spinning abrasive disc used for cutting, grinding welds, and smoothing metal. Correct disc type and guard use are essential because discs can shatter at high speed.

The even space between two adjacent body panels, such as a door and a quarter panel. Consistent gaps show correct alignment and affect wind noise, water leaks, and appearance.

A structured inspection that identifies every dent, crease, rust area, and hidden structural deformation, and decides whether a panel can be repaired or must be replaced.

A thick paste mixed with hardener and spread over cleaned, roughened metal to level shallow dents before sanding. It is not structural and must be applied in thin, fully cured layers.

A light mist of contrasting color sprayed over primer or filler so that low and high spots become visible as the surface is sanded. It is removed during final sanding.

The final shaping and smoothing of repaired metal using hammers, dollies, files, and abrasives so the panel returns to its original contour with minimal filler.

A heavy hand-held metal block held behind a panel while it is struck from the front, supporting the metal so dents can be raised without stretching it.

A shaping hammer with a specific face shape, such as flat, crowned, or pick, used to work sheet metal back to contour. The face must match the dolly and the damage type.

Adjusting hinges, shims, and mounting points so that a replaced or repaired panel sits with even gaps, correct flushness, and proper operation of doors, hood, and trunk.

A thin spacer placed between a hinge or bracket and the body to move a panel slightly outward, inward, up, or down until gaps and flushness are correct.

A small localized weld joining two overlapping metal sheets, common in factory body assembly. It is removed by drilling or cutting and replaced with plug or spot welds during panel replacement.

A weld made by filling a hole drilled in the outer panel so it fuses to the panel behind it. It recreates factory spot welds when installing a new panel.

Grinding and smoothing a finished weld so the surface is flush and ready for filler or primer, without removing so much metal that the joint becomes weak.

Replacing only the damaged portion of a panel by cutting at a manufacturer-approved location and joining the new piece with a backed butt joint, saving cost and preserving factory seams.

Cleaning, degreasing, sanding, and treating a surface so paint will bond properly. Skipping or rushing this step is a leading cause of peeling, fisheyes, and poor adhesion.

A sticky, resin-treated cloth wiped lightly over a prepared surface to pick up dust and lint just before painting, preventing specks from being trapped in the finish.

Covering glass, trim, tires, and areas not to be painted with tape and paper so overspray does not reach them. Edges must be pressed down to prevent paint bleeding underneath.

The exact proportion of paint, hardener, and thinner, usually given by volume, that must be combined for the product to cure correctly. Wrong ratios cause slow drying, poor gloss, or failure.

The working time a mixed two-part paint remains usable before it thickens or gels in the cup. Mixing more than can be sprayed within this time wastes material.

A coating supplied as a base and a hardener that react chemically when mixed. It gives a durable finish but requires accurate measuring, short pot life, and respiratory protection.

A first coating applied to prepared metal or filler to improve paint adhesion, fill minor sanding scratches, and provide corrosion protection before the topcoat.

Fine airborne paint particles that settle on surfaces outside the intended area, leaving a rough, dry film. It is controlled by correct gun distance, booth airflow, and masking.

A tool that mixes compressed air with paint and delivers it as a fine mist. Fluid flow, air pressure, and fan pattern must be adjusted to suit the product and the panel being painted.

A bumpy paint surface resembling citrus skin, caused by paint that is too thick, air pressure that is too low, or a gun held too far away so droplets dry before flowing out.

Paint that flows downward under gravity because too much was applied in one pass or the coat was too thin. They are corrected by sanding level and recoating.

Small specks of dirt, lint, or dried paint trapped in the finish. They are prevented by a clean booth, proper masking, and tack cloth use, and removed by sanding and polishing.

A small circular crater in the paint where the coating pulled away from a contaminated spot, usually oil, silicone, or wax. The surface must be cleaned and the cause removed before repainting.

Traces of silicone polish or spray left on a panel that repel paint and cause fisheyes. It spreads easily through rags and hands, so dedicated cleaning materials are needed.

A final check of gaps, flushness, paint match, gloss, and function of latches, lights, and trim against the work order before the vehicle is released to the customer.

A non-destructive meter that measures the total coating thickness on steel or aluminum, confirming that film build meets specification and that no area is too thin or too heavy.

Leftover paint, thinner, used solvent, and contaminated rags that must be segregated, labeled, and disposed of through an approved handler, never poured down drains or into ordinary trash.

A liquid such as thinner or reducer that dissolves or dilutes paint and is used for cleaning equipment. Most solvents are flammable and give off vapors that must be ventilated away.