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Auto Body Repair Course

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Automobile Bodywork and Painting

Auto Body Repair Course

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Auto Body Repair Course

Name: Auto Body Repair Course
Price: 222 USD

This Auto Body Repair Course gives you the hands-on skills to assess collision damage, straighten metal, weld replacement panels, and deliver showroom-quality paint finishes. You'll work through every stage of a professional repair from estimate to delivery. Built for anyone ready to enter or advance in the collision repair trade.

Dedika for businesses

What you will learn:

You'll learn how to inspect and document collision damage, write complete repair estimates, and communicate with insurance adjusters. The course covers sheet metal straightening, structural frame pulling, and full panel replacement using MIG welding, spot welding, and adhesive bonding. You'll master surface preparation, primer application, and spray gun technique to produce factory-quality finishes. Additional topics include aluminum and plastic repair, ADAS calibration awareness, paintless dent repair, and environmental compliance. By the end, you'll have the technical knowledge and practical skills employers in the collision repair industry are looking for.

How you study in practice Auto Body Repair Course

How you practice Auto Body Repair Course

For companies that want to train their team

With Dedika for Business, the course includes exercises and examples tailored to your own business and the way your company needs.

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Course content

8 Chapters • 40 LessonsDuration between 4 and 360 hours (you decide)

Chapter 1See details

Introduction to Auto Body Repair

Lesson 1 • Vehicle Construction Fundamentals
Explains unibody and body-on-frame construction, panel terminology, and structural zones. Understanding vehicle architecture is prerequisite to accurate damage assessment.
Lesson 2 • Hand Tools and Power Tools
Identifies and demonstrates correct use of common hand tools and power tools. Proper tool selection directly affects repair quality and technician safety.
Lesson 3 • Shop Safety and Hazard Awareness
Covers personal protective equipment, chemical hazards, and fire prevention in the shop. Safety compliance underpins every hands-on activity in the course.
Lesson 4 • Workplace Organization and Documentation
Introduces repair orders, parts requisition, and shop organization systems. Accurate documentation ensures quality control and supports customer communication.
Lesson 5 • The Auto Body Repair Trade
Overview of the collision repair industry, career paths, and shop roles. Establishes context for all technical skills taught in subsequent chapters.

Chapter 2See details

Damage Assessment and Estimating

Lesson 1 • Damage Classification and Severity
Defines minor, moderate, and severe damage categories and their repair implications. Classification guides repair method selection and parts decisions.
Lesson 2 • Damage Inspection Techniques
Teaches visual and tactile inspection methods to identify surface and hidden damage. Thorough inspection prevents missed repairs and costly supplements.
Lesson 3 • Measuring and Documenting Damage
Covers use of measuring tapes, gauges, and digital tools to record damage dimensions. Accurate measurements form the basis of a defensible estimate.
Lesson 4 • Insurance and Customer Communication
Explains the claims process, insurer relationships, and how to present estimates to customers. Effective communication builds trust and reduces disputes.
Lesson 5 • Writing a Repair Estimate
Guides students through labor time calculations, parts pricing, and estimate formatting. A complete estimate communicates scope and cost to customers and insurers.

Chapter 3See details

Sheet Metal Repair Fundamentals

Lesson 1 • Hammer and Dolly Techniques
Teaches on-dolly and off-dolly hammering to raise low spots and lower high spots. Correct technique restores panel contour without thinning or stretching metal.
Lesson 2 • Picks, Spoons, and Specialty Tools
Demonstrates use of picks, spoons, and slide hammers for confined or complex damage areas. Specialty tools extend repair capability to locations inaccessible by hammer and dolly.
Lesson 3 • Shrinking and Stretching Metal
Covers heat shrinking, cold shrinking, and controlled stretching to correct distorted panels. These techniques address metal that has been displaced beyond simple straightening.
Lesson 4 • Metal Properties and Behavior
Explains elasticity, work hardening, and stress in collision-damaged metal. Understanding metal behavior prevents over-working and guides correct repair sequences.
Lesson 5 • Panel Alignment and Fit Checks
Teaches gap and flush measurement to verify repaired panels align with adjacent panels. Proper fit is required before any surface preparation or finishing begins.

Chapter 4See details

Structural Repair and Frame Straightening

Lesson 1 • Structural Repair Verification
Covers final dimensional checks, suspension geometry inspection, and documentation of completed structural repairs. Verification confirms the vehicle meets manufacturer specifications before reassembly.
Lesson 2 • Frame Straightening Equipment Operation
Demonstrates anchoring, chain rigging, and hydraulic ram use on a straightening bench. Safe equipment operation prevents secondary damage and technician injury.
Lesson 3 • Pulling Sequences and Stress Relief
Explains multi-pull strategies, stress relief heating, and incremental correction verification. Correct sequencing restores geometry without introducing new distortion.
Lesson 4 • Frame and Unibody Measuring Systems
Teaches tram gauge, dedicated fixture, and computerized measuring system operation. Precise measurements confirm damage extent and verify correction at each pull stage.
Lesson 5 • Structural Damage Diagnosis
Covers sag, mash, twist, and diamond damage types and their visual indicators. Accurate diagnosis determines the correct pull sequence and anchor points.

Chapter 5See details

Panel Replacement and Welding

Lesson 1 • Spot Welding and Resistance Welding
Demonstrates squeeze-type resistance spot welder operation and electrode maintenance. Spot welding replicates factory joining methods and maintains structural integrity.
Lesson 2 • Partial Panel Replacement
Guides students through sectioning procedures for quarter panels, rocker panels, and pillars. Partial replacement reduces cost while maintaining structural performance when done correctly.
Lesson 3 • Adhesive Bonding and Panel Bonding
Covers surface preparation, adhesive selection, and clamping procedures for bonded panels. Adhesive bonding is required for aluminum, composite, and some high-strength steel panels.
Lesson 4 • Panel Removal Techniques
Covers spot weld drilling, cutting, and adhesive release methods for safe panel removal. Proper removal preserves surrounding metal and reduces preparation time for replacement.
Lesson 5 • MIG Welding for Body Repair
Teaches MIG welder setup, wire and gas selection, and butt and lap weld techniques on body steel. MIG welding is the primary joining method for most panel replacement operations.

Chapter 6See details

Surface Preparation for Refinishing

Lesson 1 • Masking and Panel Preparation
Covers masking tape, paper, and film techniques to protect unpainted surfaces during refinishing. Proper masking prevents overspray damage and produces clean paint edges.
Lesson 2 • Primer Selection and Application
Explains epoxy, urethane, and self-etching primers and their correct application conditions. Primer type must match substrate and topcoat system for proper adhesion and durability.
Lesson 3 • Metal Cleaning and Corrosion Treatment
Covers degreasing, rust removal, and application of conversion coatings to bare metal. Clean, treated metal ensures primer adhesion and long-term corrosion resistance.
Lesson 4 • Body Filler Application and Shaping
Teaches mixing, spreading, and rough-shaping of polyester body filler over repaired metal. Correct filler application minimizes sanding time and prevents shrinkage cracking.
Lesson 5 • Block Sanding and Guide Coat
Demonstrates guide coat application and systematic block sanding to reveal surface highs and lows. Guide coat is the primary quality control tool for achieving a flat, smooth surface.

Chapter 7See details

Automotive Refinishing and Paint Application

Lesson 1 • Paint Chemistry and Color Systems
Explains solvent-borne, waterborne, and UV-cure paint chemistry and their handling differences. Understanding chemistry guides correct reducer selection, flash times, and spray conditions.
Lesson 2 • Basecoat and Clearcoat Application
Demonstrates multi-coat basecoat application, flash times, and clearcoat layering for depth and gloss. Correct application sequence prevents solvent pop, sags, and adhesion failures.
Lesson 3 • Paint Defect Identification and Correction
Identifies sags, orange peel, fisheyes, and solvent pop and explains their causes and corrections. Defect correction skills reduce rework costs and improve customer satisfaction.
Lesson 4 • Spray Gun Setup and Technique
Covers HVLP and LVLP gun setup, fluid and air adjustments, and spray pattern testing. Correct gun setup is the single greatest factor in achieving uniform film thickness and appearance.
Lesson 5 • Color Matching and Mixing
Teaches paint code retrieval, tinting, and spray-out card evaluation for accurate color matching. Precise color matching is essential for invisible blending on partial panel repairs.

Chapter 8See details

Reassembly, Quality Control, and Delivery

Lesson 1 • Corrosion Protection and Sealing
Applies cavity wax, seam sealer, and underbody coating to restore factory corrosion protection. Corrosion protection is a safety and warranty requirement on all structural repairs.
Lesson 2 • Paint Finishing and Detailing
Demonstrates compounding, polishing, and detailing to achieve showroom-quality gloss after refinishing. Final finishing removes surface imperfections and prepares the vehicle for customer inspection.
Lesson 3 • Customer Delivery and Follow-Up
Covers vehicle walk-around presentation, warranty explanation, and post-delivery follow-up practices. Professional delivery reinforces customer confidence and generates repeat business.
Lesson 4 • Final Quality Inspection
Teaches a structured walk-around inspection covering fit, finish, function, and cleanliness. A systematic inspection catches defects before delivery and protects shop reputation.
Lesson 5 • Trim and Component Reinstallation
Covers clip, fastener, and adhesive reinstallation of interior and exterior trim components. Correct reinstallation prevents rattles, water leaks, and customer comebacks.

Certification

Your valid completion certificate

This course is for you:

Career changers: seeking a skilled trade with strong, consistent employment demand.
Recent graduates: looking to build a concrete, employer-ready technical skill set.
Shade-tree mechanics: ready to move beyond engines into bodywork and finishing.
Working lube techs: wanting to expand their value inside a full-service shop.
Detailing professionals: aiming to offer paint correction and minor body repair.
Returning veterans: translating mechanical aptitude into a civilian trade career.

What our students say

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