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Glossary of Repair shop terms
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- Aftermarket Parts
- Automotive replacement
parts that were not made by the original equipment manufacturer.
Air-drying
- The process of drying
fully during exposure to air at normal temperatures.
Alternate Term(s): Drying
Basecoat
( BC ) / Clear
- A paint system in which
the colour effect is given by a highly pigmented basecoat. Gloss and
durability are given by a subsequent clearcoat.
Bench
- A heavy metal platform
used to restore a vehicle's structural geometry to factory specifications.
This is done by securing a portion of the vehicle to the platform, then
pulling appropriate areas of the vehicle into place using special clamps,
chains and hydraulic winches.
Aternate Term(s): Frame Rack, Frame Machine
Betterment
- Term used to describe an
item replaced due to an accident that has some wear. The practice is often
applied to tires and batteries that are several years old. If a battery has
used up 3/4 of its life, the Insurance company will pro-rate the item’s
cost and in this case will pay 1/4 of the cost to replace the battery and
will ask the insured or claimant to pay the remaining 3/4. The premise being
that the Insurance Company is only obligated to return the vehicle to its
pre-accident condition.
Chip
Guard
- A chip resistant,
protective coating normally applied to lower panels to avoid sharp stones
etc. chipping the paint finish.
Chipping
- The removal of paint from
a substrate by means of impact of sharp stones etc.
Clear
or Clear coat
- The clearcoat imparts
gloss and protection to a basecoat clearcoat system. It is essentially a
pigment-free paint.
Coat
- A single layer of paint on
a surface.
Compounding
- The action of using an
abrasive polishing material either by hand or by machine.
Alternate Term(s): Polishing
Corrosion
- Degradation of the metal
substrate by oxidation. That is the formation of an oxide layer on the metal
surface. This process requires that the metal surface be exposed to oxygen,
and is favoured in the presence of water. In the case of iron and steel,
corrosion is often referred to as rusting.
Degreasing
- The removal from the
substrate of contaminants which would otherwise give rise to surface defects
and performance failures. E.g. poor adhesion.
Detailing
- Final cleaning both inside
and outside of vehicle, application of pinstripes, removal of overspray from
underhood, trunk lids etc. as well as polishing
Direct
Gloss ( DG )
- A topcoat paint which
contains pigment and resin, and gives the required gloss level without the
need of the application of a clearcoat. A DG Paint film has good weathering
and durability characteristics.
DRP
- Acronym for Direct Repair
Program. These programs often involve a contractual agreement between an
Autobody Repair Center and an Insurance Company. For the most part, the
agreements set the rules of repair and standardized procedures such as
warranties, billing practices and record keeping.
Drying
- The process of change of a
coating from the liquid to the solid state by evaporation of solvent,
chemical reaction of the binding medium, or a combination of these
processes. When drying takes place during exposure to air at normal
temperatures, it is called 'air-drying'; if it can be accelerated by the
application of a moderate degree of heat it is called 'Force-drying' (or Low-bake),
as distinct from High-bake.
Alternate Term(s): Binder, Air-drying, Force-drying, Stoving, Low-bake,
High-bake
Edge-to-edge
repair
- A term denoting a complete
panel repair as opposed to a touch-up or spot repair.
Alternate Term(s): Spot repair
Enamel
- A topcoat paint which
forms a film by chemical crosslinking of its component molecules during the
cure.
FEA
- Acronym for Front End
Alignment. Generally appears as a line item on a repair estimate or repair
order. It will sometimes be accompanied by 4-W or 4-Wheel alignment. This
simply means that the vehicle needs to have all wheels aligned.
Gloss
- The degree to which a
painted surface possesses the property of reflecting light in a mirror-like
manner.
Hazardous
Waste
- Any unusable by-product
derived from the repair and/or painting process that cannot be disposed of
through normal waste disposal streams. These products can be potentially
harmful to the environment and require special handling as well as
professional disposal. Federal, State and Local laws apply and may differ in
their scope.
LKQ
- Acronym for Like Kind and
Quality. Refers to a used part salvaged from another vehicle. It is
inspected by the seller and re-inspected by the shop upon receipt and
accepted if it is deemed appropriate.
Masking
- Temporary covering of
areas not to be painted.
Metallic
- A term used for finishes
incorporating fine metallic particles, usually aluminium, in the paint.
Mica
- A naturally occurring
mineral, based on silica, which after treatment, is used as an effect
pigment in coatings. Their special property is that light falling on a mica
particle, depending on the angle of illumination, reflects the light with a
change in colour. Because of this they are sometimes referred to as pearls.
Alternate Term(s): Pearl
Motor
manufacturer's primer
- An undercoat system
applied by the manufacturer to the metal surface of a commercial vehicle or
to new automobile panel parts to give protection during transit, storage,
etc. and which, depending on its type, age and condition, may be able to
support the finishing system. It may consist of more than just a simple
primer coat.
Alternate Term(s): OE Primer
Pearlescent
- See "Mica".
Alternate Term(s): Mica
Pigment
- The colouring matter in
paint. A pigment is different from a dye in that a pigment is insoluble in
the media in which it is used.
Prep
- The process of washing,
degreasing and lightly abrading a panel prior to applying paint.
Alternate Term(s): Prep Work
Pretreatment
(metal)
- The chemical treatment of
unpainted metal surfaces before painting, for enhanced adhesion and
corrosion resistance.
Primer
- The first layer of a
coating system. Applied to an unpainted surface. Its' role is to protect the
substrate and to prepare it for the application of a surfacer or topcoat. It
must therefore have above all, excellent adhesion to the substrate and to
the coating which will follow.
Primer-Sealer
- An undercoat which
improves the adhesion of the topcoat, and which seals old painted surfaces
that have been sanded.
Primer/surfacer
primer/filler
- A pigmented composition
which acts as a primer and at the same time has filling properties such that
it may be sanded to provide a smooth surface for the colour coat that is to
follow.
Putty
- A plastic material with a
high mineral filler content - used for filling deep holes or wide gaps.
R&I
- Acronym for Remove and
Install. Refers to a part removed from the customer's damaged vehicle to be
saved and reinstalled after the repair has been completed.
R&R
- Acronym for Remove and
Replace. Refers to a part removed from the customer's damaged vehicle that
cannot be acceptably repaired. It is replaced with a new part.
Repair
Authorization
- The point at which a
Consumer authorizes the repair to their vehicle (and in some cases
contingent upon the Insurance Company settlement process).
Rubbing
compound
- An abrasive paste that
smoothes and polishes paint films.
Alternate Term(s): Polishing compound
Sanding
- An abrasive process used
to level a coated surface prior to the application of a further coat.
Alternate Term(s): Flatting
Sealer
- An undercoat which
improves the adhesion of the topcoat, and which seals old painted surfaces
that have been sanded.
Solid
colour
- A coating which contains
coloured pigments only, i.e., does not contain pigments such as aluminums
and micas.
Solvent
- A liquid, usually
volatile, which is used to reduce viscosity. This is essential in both
manufacturing and application processes. Solvents evaporate during
application and drying of paint and therefore do not become a part of the
dried film. In conventional coatings the solvents are organic compounds
(Alcohols, Esters and Ketones) whilst in waterborne systems there is a mix
of organic solvents with water.
Substrate
- The uncoated/unpainted
surface.
Supplement
- Additional repairs needed
to complete the repair that were not identified on the original estimate
Tack
rag
- Cotton fabric, such as
cheesecloth, lightly impregnated with a resin, used to remove dust from a
surface after rubbing down and prior to further painting. Tack rags should
be stored in an airtight container to conserve their tackiness.
Tape
marking
- The imprint caused by
applying masking tape on to a newly-applied paint film before it has time to
harden.
Thinner
- A blend of volatile
organic solvents added to the paint to reduce it to the correct viscosity
for application.
Three
Coat colour
- A topcoat colour which
consists of 3 parts, a basecoat, a midcoat and a clear.
Alternate Term(s): Tri-coat
Tint
and Blend
- The process of mixing
toners to match the existing paint finish, then blending or overlapping the
color into the adjacent panel to avoid color match problems.
Tinter
- Any coloured pigment or
paint mixture used to make small adjustments in colour, or to the mix the
colour in the first place from a mixing scheme.
Alternate Term(s): Base colour
Top
coat
- The final layers of a
coating system whose role is primarily decorative. However the topcoat often
imparts protection to ultra violet light present in sunlight.
Touch-up
- A localised repair usually
confined to the smallest area possible (for example, repairs due to stone
chips damage).
Two-pack
- A paint or lacquer
supplied in two parts which must be mixed together in the correct
proportions before use. The mixture will then remain usable for a limited
period only.
U.V.
Absorbers
- Chemicals added to paint
to absorb Ultraviolet radiation present in sunlight.
Ultra
Violet Light
- That portion of the
spectrum which is largely responsible for the degradation of paint films.
Invisible to the eye, causes sunburn.
Undercoats
- A first coat; primer,
sealer or surfacer.
Unibody
- The structural support
found in most late model vehicles.
VIN
- Acronym for Vehicle
Identification Number. This is a unique number that identifies your vehicle.
Although its primary purpose is to identify your vehicle, it often contains
important information concerning the equipment and options that were
installed on your vehicle at the factory. This information allows the Repair
Center to order the correct parts for your vehicle. Any professional
estimate or Repair Order will have this number on it.
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