Car Craft welding accreditation for new generation steels

The increased use of high strength and ultra high strength steels in modern motor vehicles is one of the many challenges facing the smash repair industry.

To address this challenge, Car Craft commissioned Polytechnic West, the largest vocational training provider in Western Australia, to present a Certificate III accredited welding course to train Car Craft members and their technicians in the identification, evaluation and repair of new age steels.

Car Craft Group general manager Noelle Simons said that the main problem encountered by repairers and estimators is that there is no visual difference in the high strength steels, but they must be treated differently.

“Prior to carrying out repairs all available information must be sought from the vehicle manufacturer and this is not always easy to source,” she said.

“In June 2010 year Car Craft subscribed to Thatchamnet for all of its 37 businesses to ensure that members were equipped to offer consistent and quality repairs to the vehicles that are entrusted to them.

“Thatchamnet provides the repair process and technical information about the vehicles and the welding accreditation ensures that the repair is carried out correctly. They complement each other.

“The course consists of theoretical information and a practical component which includes correct welding procedures; incorporating spot welding, surface tension transfer, mig brazing and structural and cosmetic repair procedures.”

Car Craft was established in 1987 and has become one of the most successful smash repair industry groups in Australia. The group has focused on quality and is currently in the process of building on member benefits that improve and upgrade repair skills.

Simons said Car Craft is proud that there are now 80 technicians in Western Australia who have a practical understanding of the new generation materials and processes for the safe structural repair of modern vehicles.