ASE B3
NON-STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS
AND DAMAGE REPAIR
Master outer body panel repair, metal finishing, body filling, moveable glass, and plastics to conquer the B3 exam.
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ASE B3 Non-Structural Analysis Overview
ASE B3 Task List Categories
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A. Preparation
- Review damage report and replacement parts for accuracy. Inspect for prior damage and repairs. Inspect for proper systems operation and/or deactivation. Verify coating thickness.
- Identify potential health, safety, and environmental concerns associated with vehicle components and systems, i.e. ABS, air bags (SRS), ADAS, refrigerants, high voltage, coolants.
- Research and determine repair plan, locate procedures; build data, materials, and methods of overall repairs in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer's specifications and accepted industry procedures (including calibration/initialization of advanced vehicle systems).
- Position vehicle to perform repairs; lift, raise, or support if necessary.
- Remove damaged or undamaged interior and exterior trim and moldings/claddings as necessary; document missing, broken, or one-time use parts/fasteners/components; store removed parts/fasteners/components.
- Remove and store undamaged, non-structural body panels and components; remove and store mechanical/electrical components that may interfere with or be damaged during the repair process.
- Check for malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) illumination; scan all control modules and retrieve diagnostic trouble codes (DTC), data, and settings; identify battery disconnect procedures.
- Protect panels and parts adjacent to repair area to prevent damage during repair.
- Remove dirt, grease, wax, and other contaminants from areas to be repaired.
- Remove pinstripes, emblems and decals (transfers/overlays and other paint protection accessories); remove adhesives if necessary.
- Remove corrosion protection, undercoatings, sealers, and other protective coatings as necessary to perform repairs.
- Remove repairable plastics and other parts for off-vehicle repair.
- Identify safety precautions: i.e., personal protection equipment (PPE), shock hazards, fumes, safety data sheet (SDS), etc. before beginning any repair operation.
- Perform high-voltage disconnect procedure; reconnect/enable high-voltage system after repairs are completed.
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B. Outer Body Panel Repairs, Replacements, and Adjustments
- Determine the extent of the direct (primary), indirect (secondary), and inertia damage; determine the direction of impact; plan the methods and order of repair.
- Remove and replace bolted, riveted, adhesively bonded, and welded panels or panel assemblies.
- Identify the body panel substrate (high-strength steel, aluminum, magnesium, composite, etc.); determine the extent of damage for reparability or replacement.
- Remove, reinstall or replace, and adjust/align hood, hood supports, hood hinges, and hood latch/lock.
- Remove, reinstall or replace, and adjust/align deck lid, lid hinges, tailgates, hatches, supports, liftgates supports, and lid latch/lock; perform initialization.
- Remove, reinstall or replace and adjust/align doors, latch/lock assemblies, handles, and hinges; perform initialization.
- Remove, reinstall or replace, and adjust/align bumpers, brackets, reinforcements, guards, absorbers, isolators, and mounting hardware.
- Remove, reinstall or replace and adjust/align front fenders; check and adjust gaps and clearances.
- Remove, reinstall or replace and adjust/align exterior lighting and mounting panels.
- Check outer body panel function, adjust as necessary for proper operation.
- Restore contours of a damaged panel to a surface condition suitable for metal finishing or body filling.
- Weld cracked or torn metal body panels.
- Apply protective coatings to restore corrosion protection.
- Remove damaged body panels; replace panels using a weld, weld-bond, adhesively bonded, rivet, rivet bond, or other fastening procedures.
- Repair door frame, repair or replace door skins; inspect intrusion beams.
- Restore seam sealers, mastic, sound deadeners, and foam fillers.
- Diagnose and repair water leaks, dust leaks, wind noise, squeaks, rattles, and vibrations.
- Install interior and exterior trim, pinstripes, emblems, decals (transfers/overlays, vapor barriers), and protective film.
- Perform initialization and calibration; test drive to achieve set conditions and scan computer systems as needed to verify proper system operation following outer body panel repair, replacement, or adjustment.
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C. Metal Finishing and Body Filling
- Remove paint and other coatings from the damaged area of a body panel.
- Heat-shrink stretched panel areas to proper contour.
- Cold-shrink stretched panel areas to proper contour.
- Metal-finish the damaged area of a body panel to eliminate surface irregularities.
- Identify the considerations and procedures for preparing the surface for application of body filler material.
- Mix, apply, and shape body filler material.
- Sand cured body filler material to contour.
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D. Glass and Hardware
- Inspect, adjust, remove and/or replace moveable, electrically heated, stationary, mechanically fastened, bonded, and hinged glass.
- Inspect, adjust, repair, or replace window regulators, run channels, power mechanisms, and related controls. Reset automatic features and clear stored codes if necessary.
- Inspect, adjust, repair, and remove or replace power glass roof panels and related controls. Reset automatic features and clear stored codes if necessary.
- Diagnose and repair water leaks, dust leaks, wind noises; rattles, and vibrations; inspect, repair, or replace weatherstripping.
- Inspect, adjust, and install convertible or retractable roof and related mechanisms. Reset automatic features and clear stored codes if necessary.
- Scan computer systems and verify proper system operation following stationary glass removal or replacement.
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E. Welding, Cutting, and Removal
- Identify weldable and non-weldable materials used in vehicle construction.
- Identify the considerations and procedures for cutting, removing, and welding various types of steels, aluminum, and other metals.
- Determine the correct welding process to be used in specific welding situations: compression/inverter/squeeze type resistance spot (STRSW), GTAW (TIG), GMAW (MIG), MIG-brazing; determine settings, electrode, wire type, diameter, gas, and bonding material to be used in specific welding processes.
- Adjust the welding equipment for proper operation.
- Perform test welds. Visually inspect, perform destructive test, and make adjustments as necessary.
- Determine proper work clamp (ground) location.
- Use the proper gun-to-joint angle, distance, speed, and direction of gun travel for welds being made in all positions.
- Select proper STRSW arm set, electrode type and diameter, and settings based on the location and material to be welded.
- Protect vehicle components (adjacent components, hybrid/high voltage components, computers and other electronic modules) from possible damage caused by welding, cutting, and drilling; remove as necessary.
- Prepare the metal to be welded; ensure proper weld joint fit-up; apply weld through primer if required.
- Select and prepare the correct joint type (butt, lap, etc.) for the repair.
- Identify and perform the correct type of weld (continuous, stitch, tack, plug, spot, slot, etc.) for each specific welding operation.
- Identify the causes of weld defects; perform required equipment maintenance and/or make necessary adjustments.
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F. Plastic Repair
- Identify the types of plastic(s) or composite(s); determine repairability.
- Identify the proper plastic or composite repair/cleaning procedures; clean and prepare the surfaces of plastic or composite parts for repair.
- Reshape plastic parts.
- Repair plastic parts by welding or using adhesive repair materials; repair composite parts using adhesive repair materials; use reinforcing materials as required.
- Perform single or two-sided repairs in plastic or composite panels.
- Replace bonded plastic or composite body panels; straighten or align mounting locations.
- Replace mechanically fastened plastic or composite body panels; straighten or align mounting locations if necessary; torque fasteners to specifications.
ASE B3 Key Terminology
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