Important New Sectioning Guidelines Released by I-CAR

Getting up to speed on new, complex repair procedures
a must for collision repairers.

Newport Beach, CA, March 17, 2008 — Collision repair professionals take note: the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR), an international not-for-profit organization dedicated to training the collision industry, has released a brand new set of guidelines for structural sectioning.

This development is significant. The research for I-CAR's previous sectioning guidelines was conducted over 20 years ago. Recent advancements in vehicle structure—driven by manufacturers looking for lighter, more crash-resistant designs—dictated the change. The widespread use of advanced high strength steels (AHHS) unsuited for sectioning due to their vulnerability to heat is one result. Structural design complexities increasingly specific to individual manufacturers is another.

“Defining safe places to section vehicles has become incredibly nonstandard—even the repair terminology can change from manufacturer to manufacturer,” states Jason Bartanen, technical director for I-CAR. “The location of the part and its design intent are more important than ever, and the repairer must understand this if he or she is to carry out a safe, quality repair.”

OEMs are supplying more material on structural repairs than ever before, and that's good news. But the challenge to repairers is seeking out this massive amount of information and mastering it. I-CAR provides an invaluable service by including a sectioning matrix on its Web site (www.i-car.com/partialreplacement) with direct links to available OEM websites where the procedures can be found. There are times, however, when the manufacturer provides no recommendations. In these cases, according to I-CAR, determining how the vehicle should be repaired becomes a business decision between the insurer, repairer, and customer.

“It's imperative for today's technician and anyone else sharing responsibility for the repair, to know what he or she is specifically working on,” adds Bartanen. “If there is any doubt, erring on the side of caution is the only prudent strategy to take.”

The publication of new structural sectioning guidelines is welcomed by VeriFacts Automotive, whose mission is to coach and train proper collision repair techniques on the front lines of the industry. “Repairers should understand this is not ten to twelve years ago and that a 'one size fits all' approach to sectioning just doesn't work anymore,” says VeriFacts CEO and co-founder Farzam Afshar. “We salute I-CAR for their fine work in assembling this data, which will lead to safe, quality repairs, and are ourselves committed to spread the word regarding these critical new procedures.”

VeriFacts urges everyone to obtain a copy of I-CAR's new sectioning guidelines as well as a copy of its original guidelines for comparison. The I-CAR course “Steel Unibody Technology (SP07)” should be considered a must for anyone who plans to do sectioning of new vehicles.