Page 30 - Australasian Paint & Panel Magazine Jan-Feb 2019

Tech Talk • I-Car
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PAINT&PANEL JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019 WWW.PAINTANDPANEL.COM.AU
I-CAR INTRODUCED IT’S ‘BLUEPRINTING, PROCESS AND DAMAGE DISCOVERY’ COURSE BACK IN 2013. DURING ITS INITIAL RELEASE IT OPENED THE DEBATE REGARDING THE TIMESAVING BENEFITS GAINED. BY MARK CZVITKOVITS.
BLUEPRINTING
DOES IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
F
ROM THOSE ORIGINAL COURSES,
we have seen the process ap- pear in every major recom- mendation on improving process. The ability to recognise damage, record and understand how it will affect work- flow is absolutely critical in the modern repair process. As no one repair is the same, the potential for roadblocks at every stage is infinite and when key to key times are a major KPI, the gains made can assist
in a better flow of work in any business. The repair plan is often overlooked in the eagerness to begin the process of collision repair. Quite often when extra damage is found it is in the beginning or middle of the repair, which then has to be halted while supplements are writ- ten, new parts ordered and the techni-
cian may need to find a new repair to move onto during this stage.
In the Blueprinting process after
the initial strip down, everything is reinspected. Measurements, parts and additional damage are noted and then addressed at the beginning before plac- ing the vehicle into the repair flow.
In today’s era of efficiencies, the blue printing process assists every repair. Like anything new that challenges the traditional process people can be scepti- cal. However, when every leading pro- cess system recommends blueprinting, there really isn’t any argument against implementing a process in your busi- ness. The continuous monitoring of de- lays and recognising bottlenecks within a workflow may well be reduced through using blueprinting processes.
As with everything new it can be diffi- cult to implement and at times difficult to maintain as our natural reaction is to ‘do
The reality is that our entire work process
and systems are evolving and challenging traditional methods of repair.”
what we have always done’. The reality is that our entire work process and systems are evolving and challenging traditional methods of repair. If your business has four jobs that stop in the middle of the re- pair after additional damage has been dis- covered, what effect does this have on the planned workflow?
Sure it might be a few hours or even a day to get the correct parts and authorisa- tions through, but how much of a delay and are the delivery dates still going to be met?
How many phone calls, emails and additional effort has to be made to ensure productivity continues? Blue- printing is a process that helps im- prove repair quality while streamlin-
ing efficiencies, by using a standardised approach to collision repair planning.
The course (BLU01) is suitable for esti- mators, structural and non-structural technicians and assessors. The course goes beyond the disassembly of dam- aged parts and writing damage reports to help students uncover hidden damage that impacts the repair process.
All of this streamlines the entire re- pair process and eliminates the missing clips, badges and of course calibration and diagnostic unknowns that raise their head at the end of the repair through a lack of systemised process.
Visit: www.i-car.com.au/calendar/