ABCT1580

As weight reduction becomes a driving force to improve fuel economy, manufactures are looking at alternative materials to build vehicles with. Plastics have been used for many years for vehicle construction, but technicians are being expected to repair more plastics each year. Aluminum has been used on expensive luxury and sports cars but now it is being used on mainstream everyday vehicles. This means tomorrow's technicians will need to repair these substrates with skill and accuracy. Students are introduced to industry accepted methods of repairing both plastic and aluminum. Composites and other non-steel alternatives will be explored in this course. Students in this course will be expected to complete both theory and hands on projects. Student Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate safe shop operation practices.
• Explain different techniques used in repairing plastic and aluminum.
• Identify different types of plastic.
• Perform plastic welding according to industry standards.
• Perform adhesive repairs according to technical data sheets.
• Calculate cost of repair versus replacement.
• Explain the importance of separating aluminum repair tools from steel repair tools.
• Perform aluminum welding to I-CAR standards.
• Repair aluminum substrate according to I-CAR standards.
• Choose proper materials to apply on non-steel substrates.
• Repair SMC and fiberglass according to technical data sheets and manufacturer standards.
• Use SOP's (standard operating procedures) to complete a variety of repairs.
• Explore alternate repairs to non-steel substrates.
• Identify PPE (personal protective equipment) used in the repair of non-steel products.
• Use PPE while completing repairs.