What Is Collision Repair Blueprinting?
June 11th, 2020 by Fix Auto USA
Collision repair blueprinting is the comprehensive plan to repair your vehicle, and it has completely revolutionized the auto body repair industry. Thanks to blueprinting, you can now receive a complete plan for repairs, followed by a step-by-step plan to correct any vehicle problems.
How Does an Auto Body Shop Blueprint Differ from an Estimate?
Choosing an auto body shop that offers collision repair blueprinting is often ideal. To understand why this is important, let’s break down the differences between auto body shop blueprints and estimates.
An auto body shop blueprint is an assessment of the state of your car and any required vehicle repairs. It involves an in-depth process to analyze your car’s interior and exterior, often involving removing some panels to access inner structure as well as using some electronic diagnostic tools. This information is then used to provide you with a detailed estimate. Once you have this report in hand, you’ll know how much work is required to fix your car, how long it will take to repair your vehicle and other relevant car repair information.
Comparatively, an estimate offers a quick write-up relating to your vehicle’s damage. It may include only a few lines that describe the labor associated with your car repair, along with a possible repair timeline and potential repair costs.
Auto body repair shops usually write estimates for a variety of reasons. In some instances, a customer requests a written estimate, so they can place a value on the car repair and know what to expect. In other cases, an insurance company requires an estimate as a standard procedure to help process your insurance claim.
When it comes to getting your car fixed, a car repair blueprint can be extremely helpful as you can gain the insights you need to make an informed decision about your vehicle’s repairs.
How Does Body Shop Blueprinting Work?
Initially, an auto body shop collects information about your car. It retrieves your car’s VIN, mileage, and paint code color. The auto body shop may also use a scan tool to evaluate your car’s electronic systems.
As part of the auto body shop repair process, your car is inspected by an auto body appraiser who looks for any exterior damage. During the blueprinting process, the body shop representative will open your car’s doors and trunk to ensure they are aligned properly; look for changes in panel gaps and review the condition of your car’s steering column, headrests, and seat belts. Finally, they’ll examine the position of your car’s wheels and look for any signs of bending and twisting in the undercarriage.
Once the inspection is complete, areas of your car that are damaged will be identified, and parts will be removed from the appropriate areas of your vehicle. Next, various measurement tools are used to determine the precise location of car repairs. With this information, a blueprint for your vehicle’s repairs will be drafted.
What Are Damage Classifications for Auto Body Shop Blueprints?
Collision repair blueprinting often involves the use of three classifications related to the extent of your car’s damage:
1. Fast Track
The fast track classification is used for cars that usually require only cosmetic repairs. These cars are typically not dealing with any structural damage, and instead, require only minor repairs like auto body painting or straightening of the body panels. Fast track repairs are often immediate, and they can frequently be completed in a short amount of time.
2. Quick Track
Quick track repairs are required for cars that experience structural damage that occurs in only one area of the vehicle. A quick track repair usually takes longer than a fast track repair, but the difference in repair time between these two classifications is often minimal.
3. Heavy Hit Track
The heavy hit track is used for cars that require significant structural repairs. In some instances, cars on the heavy hit track take much longer to repair.
Is Auto Body Blueprinting Beneficial?
Auto body shop blueprints streamline the car repair process. They establish a workflow for your car repairs, so you can get the parts and support you need to fix your vehicle as quickly as possible.
With auto body blueprinting, parts required to fix your car are identified immediately. Then, the auto body shop orders all of the required parts at once, and technicians can coordinate their work accordingly.
In addition, an auto body shop blueprint accounts for the parts required to fix your car, along with labor, and time for vehicle repairs. This ensures you can receive a blueprint that provides an accurate cost estimate and time frame for your car repairs.
This blog post was contributed by Fix Auto Folsom, a leading industry expert and collision repair shop servicing the San Francisco area.
