Proper Frame Alignment
Most vehicle structures are made up of sheet metal, either aluminum, steel or some use carbon fiber, or a combination of any of them making up a structure by welding, riveting, and or adhesives or a combination of those as well. The first part of a repair when it comes to structure is diagnosis of the damage by measuring the factory tolerances vs. the after collision measurements to determine the extent of the structural misalignment. This can be done in a few ways. Either by a fixed jig system that has specific fixed mounting points that align with an undamaged structural alignment holes that determine if the structure is misaligned. This is the same way they build multiple vehicles with exact same precision of structural alignment is by assembling the parts together on a jig to insure perfect alignment of an infinite amount of identical structural bodies.
The second is by measuring with a laser or a GPS type system that measures tolerances of chosen platforms to less than a millimeter efficiency which is within the factory allowed tolerances of any and all automotive manufacturers. Anthony’s uses both Fixed Jig and GPS frame measuring systems to employ whatever factory suggested repair techniques are required for your vehicles make and specific model. Anthony’s Auto Craft uses Cellette, Car-O-Liner, and Global Jig, frame bench systems to repair specific required manufactured vehicles.
All-steel structures can be pulled to be straightened to a minor extent if they are spot welded and not hardened steel, while aluminum, riveted with adhesive and carbon structure cannot be straightened, as well as some hardened steel structural areas, only measured and all damaged panels replaced with the required rivets and adhesives.
Welding
As for welding there are multiple welding techniques required to perform different repairs on different makes and models. Spot welding is the most common with steel bodies with seam welding necessary less often of the time in specific areas required by the manufacturer’s specific procedures with each make and model. Some of the more exotic vehicles use a combination of aluminums, both extruded and cast aluminum structures to make a structural body. These take great skill to weld structural extruded and cast bodies, typically used for hardened areas needed for engine, transmission and suspension mounting areas that take a lot of abuses of torsion and vibration. Spot welded areas that require replacement need each and every spot-weld drilled out with special hardened drill bits, or the rivets extracted with special stainless steel extractors that squeeze the rivet out while minimizing damage to the surrounding areas. These rivet extractors and special drills and drill bits are quite expensive, not to say the welders that are required to be used in the replacement of the panels afterward.
The welders required by the manufacturers are incredibly expensive, they are programmable to each individual specific weld on every different automotive platform, distancing the average auto body repair shop and an elite facility such as Anthony’s Auto Craft. Our Mercedes Elite Welders are required to re-certify every 5 months, their welding skills for such repair techniques, one of the most stringent factory required qualifications.
As for the structural riveting of steel and aluminum. Each manufacturer requires different riveting presses and area specific rivets, as well as different adhesives for each and ever model of vehicle. Automotive vehicles of today are constructed more like commercial airliners than automobiles of the past, and require a level of precision and technical knowledge to repair, that is unprecedented in our past industry.
Why Anthony’s Auto Craft
“Quality Without Compromise”
That is our promise to YOU.
Safety
Our goal is to repair it just like the day it was built. As a certified collision center we are qualified to fix your Alpha Romeo following the OEM guidelines.
Warranty
By choosing Anthony’s Auto Craft as your Alpha Romeo collision center, we make sure to maintain the Alpha Romeo warranty and safety standards for your repair.
Highest Quality
Anthony’s Auto Craft will repair your Alpha Romeo to better than new conditions. Our certified technicians will restore your vehicle like it was never damaged.
Top Rated
We are one of the top 10 rated collision centers in the all of the United States. We don’t cut corners like average body shops increasing the resale value of your Alpha Romeo.
