In the collision shop environment, it’s often the little things that can improve productivity and cycle times.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are vital to every collision repair shop’s success. Whether you employ two body repair technicians or 20, having an effective set of SOPs can make a huge difference.
SOPs can come from your refinish supplier, from vendors such as your adhesive or equipment provider, or even from within the shop itself. Within the collision repair industry there are numerous SOP’s including areas such as body repair, prep. and paint.
Creating a process
Successfully implementing a repair process often requires taking these SOP’s from different sources and creating a set within the shop that your technicians consistently follow.
If we look at the body repair side, consistency in using the same types of abrasives and tools, along with the same process each and every time, will lead to quality results and greater efficiency. When you’re able to dial in a process, your technicians will consistently perform the work the same way, they will perform it more efficiently, minimize material usage and end up with a consistent, quality finish each and every time.
Yet a big part of that effective process is making sure you use quality materials. Using premium abrasives will save time, and improve productivity.
Advanced technologies such as 3M Cubitron II line of abrasives, featuring 3M’s Precision-Shaped Grain which are triangular in shape, continuously fracture to form sharp points and edges—slicing cleaner, faster, staying cooler and lasting many times longer.
Cubitron ΙΙ cuts 30% faster and can last up to 2X longer longer than conventional ceramic abrasives.
Cleaner, better, faster
In the collision repair process, every second counts and sometimes a few seconds or minutes can translate to big savings in the overall repair. A major area where shops can realize very significant time and cost savings is in dust extraction. Whether it’s in a dedicated aluminum room or in the main body and prep areas, an effective dust extraction system will ensure particles are removed quickly and efficiently while leading to less contaminants in the paint finish and less time spent doing re-work.
Ultimately, whether you’re working with aluminum or steel, the end goal is to follow SOP’s and create a process, one whereby you’re also following the recommended repair procedure provided by the OEM.
With the advancements in technology and materials, the cars of today are repaired quite differently than vehicles in the 1980s or ‘90s. Today, following OEM vehicle specific repair procedures and using the right tools is critical.
Ultimately, by following these OEM repair procedures and using quality materials, along with an effective set of SOPs, your technicians will get more done, in less time, boosting both efficiency and the shop’s bottom line.
