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What
do Auto body technicians do?
Auto
body technicians are the artists who
turn dented, battered and rusted wrecks
into a celebration of style, form and
color. They repair, refinish, and
customize car and truck bodies, lovingly
repairing everything from minor dents
and nicks to badly damaged frames and
body sections. If you’ve ever been in a
collision requiring the repair of your
car’s body, you’ve likely witnessed
firsthand the amazing feats performed by
these artists. |
A typical day
finds an auto body technician (also referred to
as a collision repair specialist) estimating
damage, straightening bent bodies, removing
dents, replacing crumpled parts that are beyond
repair, mixing and matching paint colors, and
spray-painting and refinishing cars to a
lustrous sheen. Though they can repair all types
of vehicles, auto body technicians usually work
on cars, small trucks and sport utility
vehicles.
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Every
car presents a new challenge, since each
damaged vehicle is likely to have its
own peculiarities but must always be
repaired to factory specifications. In
addition, many cars today are made of
high-strength steel, aluminum and
plastic. It’s up to auto body
technicians to decide the most
appropriate repair methods for each job,
using their broad knowledge of
automotive construction and repair
techniques. The job is becoming
increasingly high-tech. |
Most
technicians, in fact, now use the computer and
other high-tech equipment as a regular part of
the job. With advances in technology and higher
repair standards, auto body technicians have
become much more than artists--they are
highly-skilled professionals.
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