Light sources in bodyshops

There are several general types of lamp found in

bodyshops:

Tungsten bulbs (general lighting service (GLS)

lamps) These are still used for hand lamps and toilets,

but are steadily being replaced by low-energy

compact fluorescent lamps.

High pressure sodium (SON) These give a warm

golden light (SON DL) or a pleasant, less yellow

light (white SON). Both are good for mechanical

areas and forecourts, but their colour rendering

makes them totally unsuitable for bodyshops.

Mercury lamps (MBF) These give white light similar

to fluorescent, although not good enough for

colour matching. They are suitable for general areas.

Metal halide (MBIF) These lamps are now both

long life and suitable for colour matching.

Fluorescent tubes (MCF) These are the industry

standard, and provide an excellent form of low-cost

lighting. There are many different types of fluorescent

tube on the market, and it is important that

the correct type of tube is fitted in each area of

the bodyshop. Spray booths should be fitted with

colour matching tubes and it is advisable that this

type of tube is used in the preparation area too. It is

vital that all tubes fitted in a spray booth should be

the same colour. If one tube in the spray booth

should fail and a direct matching replacement is not

available immediately, it is actually better to run

with a tube missing than to temporarily substitute

a non-matching tube. In areas where critical colour

matching is regularly performed, it is definitely

worth while to change lamps on a regular basis

about once a year and so to avoid the problems of

lamp failures and the colour variations which occur

with age.

15.5 Essential equipment for the

bodyshop

In the utilization of equipment there are two important

factors:

Return on investment

This is simply the profit made from the amount

invested in the workshop and equipment.

Return on assets

This is the assessment of how the workshop and

equipment are being used. This relates to net profit

achieved against an asset, which would be the

work being produced in the workshop. This base is

divided between fixed assets and current assets.

Fixed assets are money in buildings and equipment.

Current assets are money tied up in the work

in progress and in stocks held within the stores

department. To achieve the necessary return it is

therefore absolutely essential to use the site, and

the expensive equipment required for vehicle

repair, to the fullest extent.

Essential equipment guide

Before purchasing and installing expensive equipment

an analysis of any past work and a forecast

of the future are essential to forecast the probable

availability of the work.

The equipment requirements can be categorized

as follows:

Specialist equipment: essential and desirable

General workshop equipment: essential

Hand tools and expendable items: essential.

Specialist equipment needed for stripping,

repairing and painting

If a full and efficient service is to be given to the

customer, certain equipment is required in the

workshop. All equipment used in the workshop

must meet all current legislation.

Figure 15.5Lighting for the spray booth (Fifth

Generation Technology Ltd )

Bodyshop planning 513

Alignment and repair jigs for measuring and

straightening

Pulling equipment for reshaping damaged body

sections

Hydraulic body jack equipment for panel repair

Welding equipment: oxy-acetylene, MIG/MAG

welding, TIG welding, spot welding (double

and single sided)

Plasma arc cutting equipment

Dust and fume extraction systems (portable and

static)

Wheel alignment equipment (four-wheel alignment)

Combi-booth

Panel booth

Mixing room with mixing system

Infrared driers

Wall-mounted breathing air filters

Air regulators

Respirators and air-fed visors

Spray guns (standard and/or HVLP guns)

Gun cleaning tank, extracted

Combined paper baler and can crusher

Pedal waste bin for solvent contamination waste

Plunger cans to dispel solvent

Screw compressor (Suitable for the total capacity

of air requirement of the workshop).

See Chapters 13, 14 and 17 for further information

about the equipment.

General workshop equipment

Hoist (wheel-free type)

Headlight focusing equipment

Axle stands and trolley jacks

Folding crane (1 tonne)

Battery charger (portable)

Parts trolleys

Masking machine

Filler dispensers

Solvent dispensers

Panel stands

Impact wrenches

Torque loading spanners for wheel nuts

Waste oil dispensers

Wet and dry vacuum

Valeting machine

Polisher

Wax injection equipment

Vehicle moving skates

Benches (mobile).

See Chapters 13, 14 and 17 for further information

about the equipment.

Hand tools and power tools

Panel tools and wallboards

Air tools, electric tools: grinders, chisels, drills, saws

Windscreen cutting tool

Spottle spot welding cutter

Spot welding dresser

Random orbit sanders and dust extraction

Block sanders and dust extraction

See Chapter 3 for further information about the

equipment.

Miscellaneous and expendable items

Welding goggles approved to BS

Welding headscreens approved to BS

Fire blankets approved to BS

Welding curtain/screen approved to BS

Gloves: disposable, plastic, leather, rubber, canvas

First aid equipment

Fire extinguishers

Storage cabinet/lockers.

See Chapter 2 for further information.

Dust and fume extraction

(extraction and arrestment

Systems)

Polluted air is often invisible to the naked eye.

However, the effect it can have on the health of a

workforce and the overall efficiency of an organization

can be dramatic. The most effective way to

purify air is to capture airborne pollutants at source

and, depending on individual applications, to either

recirculate fresh and preheated air or vent the

pollutants away from the working environment to a

safe collection point. The systems should actually

be extraction and arrestment systems and should

extract the pollutant materials and collect them in a

safe and manageable form (Figure 15.6).

In the context of bodyshops, the main problems

are fillers and paint dust from the rubbing down and

flatting processes, paint and solvent fumes from the

wiping down and painting processes, and welding

fumes.

Filler and paint dust generated in the preparation

area is best collected as soon as it is produced by

514Repair of Vehicle Bodies

using off-the-tool extraction (Figure 15.7). This can

either be by portable units serving one or two operators,

or by fixed systems with a central extraction

unit serving a number of fixed extraction points

located in the workshop (Figure 15.8).

Specially designed extraction equipment can

be tailor-made to an individual bodyshop for

the removal of dust and fumes. Gases, powders and

chemical vapours are all types of hazardous elements

to which fume extraction can be applied. The

range of self-supporting arms, combined with the

versatility to mount the system on ceilings, floors,

benches and walls, make the access to applications

unlimited. Furthermore, the easily manoeuvred suction

hoods create extraction right at the source of

the problem. The fans are designed to draw the polluted

air through the extraction arms, dispersing the

fumes via the assembly ducting. Alternatively, to

recirculate the purified air, an electrostatic unit can

be employed to eliminate harmful particles and utilize

existing preheated air.

A range of vehicle exhaust extraction systems is

available: a choice can be made from a simple drop

system through to the rail system (Figure 15.9),

which allows vehicles to be driven whilst maintaining

at-source extraction with both advanced infrared

remote controlled and electrically motor driven reels.

At-source extraction of welding fumes is far

more energy efficient than using central ventilation

systems. Harmful fumes can be captured and disposed

of in a safe and simple way regardless of the

welding environment. Irritation, fever, poisoning

and fibrosis are a few of the effects that can be

minimized with the extraction of fumes from the

welding operations. Many welding processes create

noxious and harmful fumes which can be eliminated

with portable welding smoke eliminators

(Figure 15.10). These provide complete extraction

where confined areas pose a problem, especially in

body repair workshops. There is a wide range of

light-weight smoke eliminators which take up very

Figure 15.6Portable dust extraction system used in

the workshop (Nederman Ltd ) Figure 15.7Tool extraction system (Minden

Industrial Ltd )

Bodyshop planning 515

little floor space and can be carried from job to job.

The filters in these portable extraction systems can

be changed very quickly, and some have an alarm

light fitted to warn the user that the filter needs

replacing.

It is a specific requirement of the COSHH

Regulations that equipment is maintained in efficient

working order. The physical system must be

regarded as part of a broader health and safety

housekeeping policy aimed at keeping the whole

area dust and fume free.

15.6 Bodyshops and legal requirements

Health and safety legislation has made the vehicle

body repair industry increasingly aware of the need

to provide adequate facilities for employees, both

as a legal duty and to improve the working environment.

Within this framework of a safe working

environment the employer must also promote efficient

work methods, which together should result

in improved productivity.

Figure 15.8Central extraction unit (Minden

Industrial Ltd )

Figure 15.9Vehicle exhaust extraction using a rail

system (Nederman Ltd )

Figure 15.10Portable fume and smoke extraction

system (Nederman Ltd )

516Repair of Vehicle Bodies

Statutory legislation

Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928

Petroleum (Mixtures) Orders 1929 and 1947

Factory Act 1961

Weights and Measures Act 1963

Fire Precautions Act 1971

Highly Flammable Liquids and Liquefied Petroleum

Gases Regulations 1972

Road Traffic Act 1972 (MOT)

Abrasive Wheel Regulations 1974

Control of Pollution Act 1974

Protection of Eyes Regulations 1974

Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

Fire Precautions (Factories, Offices, Shops and

Railway Premises) Order 1976

Motor Vehicle Construction and Use

Regulations 1978

Control of Pollution (Special Wastes)

Regulations 1980

Classification, Packaging and Labelling of

Dangerous Substances Regulations 1984

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health

(COSHH) Regulations 1988

Environment Protection Act 1990

Management of Health and Safety at Work

Regulations 1992

Provision and Use of Work Equipment

Regulations 1992

Personal Protection Equipment at Work (PPE)

Regulations 1992

Manual Handling Operation Regulations 1992

Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare)

Regulations 1992