When a collision occurs, any damage to the body and frame is likely to affect the sensors, cameras and other mechanical components.
Scott DeGiorgio, general manager at SUN Collision, said these must be repaired and/or recalibrated so the vehicle can be returned to its preexisting condition.
To provide technicians with the information they need to properly fix a car, SUN Collision Repair Information was created by SUN®, a brand of Snap-on Incorporated.
The web-based, mobile-friendly product includes all of the relevant repair details based on OEM procedures. This includes ADAS repair and recalibration information, OEM data for materials, paint, body and frame, the latest recalls and TSBs, as well as insights for mechanical repairs.
“You can easily access all of the procedures and specifications needed to efficiently repair damaged vehicles,” said DeGiorgio.
The database encompasses complete OEM-licensed procedures for 1960-2022 automobiles and is updated regularly by a team of editors. DeGiorgio said the product provides technicians with complete data related to just about any vehicle that could pull into an shop’s bay.
“If you were to print out the data that is in this application, it would be about 35 million pages,” he said. “It’s very comprehensive. We did some intuitive things with the application to assist the technician.”
DeGiorgio explained SUN Collision was introduced to the market to offer collision facilities a single source of information that covers both collision, based on OEM procedures, and mechanical, using SureTrack® Real Fixes based on actual mechanical repair solutions.
“Some shops are farming out the mechanical piece because they don’t have the knowledge to do it,” said DeGiorgio. “SUN Collision assists technicians to be able to do more of that repair, bringing more profit into the shop.”
A significant challenge for technicians is the time it takes to look up OEM repair procedures. As a result, DeGiorgio said SUN Collision was designed to be easy to use.
“All of the information for vehicles is laid out in the same way across all makes and there is full access to both collision and mechanical information,” he said.
By providing it all in one place, DeGiorgio said it will help shops reduce repair times and become more efficient.
“I could take a B tech and turn him into an A tech with this information,” he said. “At $100/hour for a technician, I can’t have him spend a half-hour looking for information and struggling, so we made this as simple and fast as possible. They have all of the information they need with a few clicks of a mouse.”
Since it was first introduced at the 2019 SEMA Show, new content, increased coverage and enhanced features have been added to SUN Collision. This includes an ADAS Quick Link, which provides technicians a complete picture of the ADAS repair details in a table with clickable links.
“You can’t work on a vehicle anymore without this type of information,” he said. “Technology is so complex that you have to have some type of resource for this knowledge.”
SUN Collision also offers advanced search engine technology using 1Search™ Plus. DeGiorgio explained technicians can easily access the relevant information they need through the search function by clicking on what is referred to as a “data card.” These are subcategories that contain in-depth specifications and procedures for the car.
SUN Collision was showcased during the 2021 SEMA Show at the Snap-on Total Shop Solutions booth, with its sister brands: Mitchell 1, John Bean®, Car-O-Liner® and Hofmann® products.
DeGiorgio and other SUN Collision representatives conducted product demonstrations at the event and discussed the significant growth of the product.
SUN Collision offers comprehensive training to shops that use the software to help maximize its effectiveness and customer service representatives are available to provide support.
In addition, technicians have access to a large community of technicians online to ask questions and learn about the product.
With a background in the automotive repair side of the business, DeGiorgio said the company is confident about what it has built for the industry.
“As technology continues to change, we are changing with it,” he said. “We’re excited about what we built and hopefully, it’s in every shop soon.”
Stacey Phillips Ronak