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