How Laser Scanning Is Revolutionizing Dent and Frame Repair
Lasers. For a period in pop culture, they were an indicator of the future. Every sci-fi film involved lasers, either as weaponry or for scanning objects and/or people and potentially transporting them… somehow.
In truth, lasers are fairly pervasive today. While still undeniably cool and impressive, lasers have many different utilities. This includes being a useful tool for auto body repair shops. Technicians have begun using lasers in collision repair, especially frame and dent repair. But why? And how does it work?
Dent repair and frame repair
Dent and frame repair are two common forms of collision repair. Auto body repair shops must do thousands of these repairs every year. These types of repairs have always been common, but it’s only how technicians execute these repairs that’s changing.
Dents can happen for myriad different reasons. Colliding with other vehicles, backing into a pillar, sideswiping a bush, vandalism, debris, and even hailstones can all cause dents in a vehicle. When that happens, fixing the dent can be as simple as hammering it out. However, when non-professionals jump headfirst into dent repair with a ball-peen hammer, the outcome is usually negative.
The perils of DIY aren’t as prominent with frame repair because it’s impractical for people to attempt to straighten their own vehicle’s frame in their garages or driveways. Frame repair often takes the form of frame straightening.
Vehicular frames can become misaligned because of a collision, even a low-velocity crash. In fact, even a deep enough pothole, if you drive over, it at speed, could potentially knock your frame askew. This can cause difficulty steering and handling because your vehicle keeps pulling to one side. A misaligned frame can also cause gaps between the car’s panels and uneven tire wear, because the vehicle can’t evenly distribute its weight.
How do lasers help?
If you’re not familiar with laser scanning, you might envision a collision repair technician holding a laser gun and miraculously fixing a dent or misaligned frame. Well, that’s not the case, but the truth is almost as impressive if you know how it works.
Laser scanning for frame repair
Modern collision repair shops use laser measuring or laser/optical scanning systems to precisely capture a vehicle’s geometry in three dimensions. Creating a 3-D rendering is useful for understanding the depth of dents and how they may affect the structural integrity of a vehicle.
Auto body repair shop technicians can mount target points or reflective markers, or even use built‐in scanner targets, at defined reference locations on a vehicle’s structure. The computerized system uses lasers to measure deviations from the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) specifications. The specialized software compares current vehicle geometry, which may well have been altered by a collision, with the original design specifications.
The program maps misalignments, twists, bends, or panel and dent deviations down to millimeter (or even sub-millimeter) accuracy. This verifies whether the damage is within tolerance, and allows collision repair technicians to plan repair pulls, replacements, or reinforcements as necessary.
Why it matters
Modern vehicles are more complex than ever. They have unibody constructions, comprise a mix of materials (including aluminum, carbon fiber, and high-strength steels), and employ integrated safety systems, such as crumple zones and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Even seemingly minor damage can cause structural misalignment.
Accuracy is essential for restoring proper structural integrity, crash performance, handling, panel fit and ensuring that the vehicle meets manufacturer specifications. Using laser measuring systems helps dent repair technicians reduce guesswork, avoid over- or underpulling the frame, and document the repair process, which is important for warranties, insurance, and resale value.
Laser scanning for dent repair
For larger panel damage, or when there are multiple dents present, a scan allows the dent repair technician to map the deformation into 3-D and see exactly how far certain points deviate from the original surface. That means technicians aren’t just eyeballing the depth and width of a dent; they’re measuring the precise changes that have occurred from how the surface of the panel originally looked.
The scanning data can help technicians decide whether a dent repair or a paintless dent repair is even viable, or if a panel replacement is warranted because of underlying structural issues. And after the dent repair, a follow-up scan can verify that the work has properly fixed the panel to within an acceptable tolerance. Last, because many modern panels are part of unibody or structural elements, knowing exactly how much deviation exists is critical for ensuring the repaired panel doesn’t cause crash performance issues or leave gaps through which water can enter the interior of the vehicle.
What else to consider
So, laser scanning can be very helpful for dent repair and frame repair. But there are a few additional items that it can be helpful for drivers to be aware of. First, effective laser scanning requires investment in equipment and training. Not all repair shops use high-end laser systems.
The scan is only as good as the referenced data points and the quality of the measurement. This means that not only should you look for a collision repair shop that has up-to-date and sophisticated laser scanning software, but also knowledgeable and skilled technicians to operate it. Furthermore, it’s important to note that some damage may be so severe that replacement of major structural components is necessary rather than just a standard frame straightening. Laser measuring helps identify this. So, even if it plays no role in an actual frame repair, it can be crucial for the diagnostic process.
Finally, for mixed‐material vehicles, the repair process must follow OEM guidelines even after measurement. The scan doesn’t replace proper welding and repair methods. The shops that deliver the best frame and dent repair have many tools and techniques at their disposal.
