What is automotive sheet metal?

 Automotive sheet metal (Metal Plate; Sheet Metal in English) is a technical means of automobile repair. In this context, automotive sheet metal refers to the repair of vehicles after a collision, which includes all work except for anti-corrosion and decorative painting of the vehicle body. This includes analysis of vehicle body damage, measurement of the vehicle body, reshaping of automotive sheet metal, stretching and correction, stress-relief welding, as well as assembly and adjustment of vehicle body accessories. Automotive sheet metal is a processing method in automobile maintenance, also known as cold working. To put it simply, if the exterior of the vehicle body is damaged or deformed, the sheet metal process is required. Automotive collision repair has evolved from the primitive methods of 'hammering and welding' to secondary manufacturing assembly of the vehicle body. The repair of vehicles involved in collisions is no longer just simple hammering and beating; the quality of repairs cannot rely solely on visual inspection of the vehicle's appearance and gaps. Repair personnel must not only understand the technical parameters and dimensions of the vehicle body but also master material characteristics, force transmission characteristics that indicate deformation trends and stress points on the vehicle body, as well as production processes such as welding techniques. Based on this knowledge, repair personnel must also use advanced measuring tools to conduct precise three-dimensional measurements of the vehicle body to assess indirect damage deformation conditions and potential hazards due to deformation. They then formulate a complete vehicle body repair plan and combine it with correct repair techniques and accurate three-dimensional dimensional data for each key point on the vehicle body to restore each key point back to its original position and return the damaged vehicle body to its factory condition.