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UP, UP AND AWAY

5th Dimension
The 5th Dimension

Pop group The 5th Dimension had a hit song in late 1960’s called Up, Up and Away.  It was an upbeat, feel-good song that was about riding in a hot-air balloon.  It was played over and over on AM radio stations around the country and won a Grammy in 1968.

Today, the idea of “up, up and away” defines the costs of materials.  We have all been shocked by recent increases in fuel prices, but steel prices have risen more dramatically in the same timeframe.  In 18 months, gas prices rose from $2.50 to $3.50 per gallon… a 40% increase. In the same timeframe, steel prices increased by 65%.  This increase can be attributed to the rising fuel costs, increasing global demand and negative influences in supplies.  One such negative factor was the torrential rains and flooding in Australia that filled coke mines.  This coke is deemed the best in the world for smelting the high-tech steel ores used today. Continue reading UP, UP AND AWAY

COMPUTERIZED MEASURING SYSTEMS

Vehicles are fighting to become the best in their feature offerings. Technology is bringing more and more “hands-free” this and “touch-screen” that…. It seems that we will soon have cars that can even think on their own! With all of these techy gadgets and time-saving devices comes a higher chance of damaging something in just a minor collision. Gone are the days where it was just a “fender bender” … a little bump affects the car’s core and all of these modern devices.

Many times, the extent of the damages is not discovered until the repairs have begun…. dragging out the repair time, raising the repair costs and causing frustration in customers.

In a world full of technology, customers and insurance companies expect more than repairs based on strings, tape measures or basic old fashioned measuring systems.  So, what is the solution? Computerized electronic measuring systems offer tremendous accuracy and will detect damage that visual inspections miss. With this technology, shops are able to compare each measurement to the vehicle manufacturer’s specifications and display any difference, enabling the technician to make needed adjustments. As an added bonus, they provide the proper repair documentation required by most insurance companies.

Until recently, these systems were out of reach for the small and mid-size shops due to the high price tag ($25,000 to $40,000).  Not only where they pricey, but so complicated that it required extensive training, limiting the number of technicians that could actually use the system. With this added training and the regular software updates, thousands of dollars were added to the lifetime cost of these system.
Continue reading COMPUTERIZED MEASURING SYSTEMS

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