THE BEAUTY OF THE HUMBLEST PARTS AND DESIGN FOR REPAIR
Here is a picture of a flow drill screw developed EJOT (there are other providers of such technology) and some Lego (other systems are available). Both represent the pinnacle of many years in pursuit of an idea. In the case of the flow drill screw, the application of refined metallurgy and high-volume manufacturing processes that can make a sophisticated component like this for fractions of a penny.
Meanwhile, Lego, the original bluff, unyielding block – can be anything from a deep-sea empire to a space station, in the mind of the creator. It is an enabler of ideas – but take a closer look. Humble polymers with high gloss finish, able to engage or disengage with other blocks for years – not just 10 times. It is also a fine example of industrial design.
A vehicle has literally tens of thousands of components, many of which fall into the heading ‘consumables.’ Things that allow us to put larger parts together. The common nature and relatively low cost belie the sophistication of this ‘stuff’.
Manufacturing centric product creation
The whole vehicle creation process is aimed at construction as well as initial sale. This is still how most vehicle manufacturer business models work. During the creative process there are many experts called to assist, and one group are the buyers. These people tend to look after a group of similar products and aim to get the best possible price for each component, deal by deal.
Others take care of how the part is going to be assembled, others look into how long the part will last, and some take care of the effect on repair. Yes, with the best will in the world, while the whole company knows full-well what repair means to competitiveness – especially in fleet – this tends to concentrate on routine maintenance rather than all aspects of the vehicle. Ironically the ‘times’ data that is used by providers such as Audatex and GT Motive in the main come from ‘warranty’ times.
The problem
As vehicle technology demanded more and more systems to address aspects of crash performance, enabling advanced driver assistance systems and addressing environmental impact, so the industry reacted by adding to rather than integrating functions. Adding multiple parts means for repairers having to remove multiple parts instead of larger, multi-function parts.
A Lego block or a flow drill screw are examples of items that instead of requiring additional parts to work, built some aspects into the part design. If it takes 100% effort to get a great component design, integration requires a further stretch by 10 or 20%. Above and beyond.
Overall, most vehicles are built on a manufacturing line where the assembled, painted body shell is fitted out via around 100 assembly points, each taking no more than 2.5 minutes to complete. This dominates everything a vehicle manufacturer thinks about. Aftermarket then becomes a process of managing expectation… you want to see a major structural aluminium alloy casting in the body structure? Well, prepare for a few hours of removing parts – lots of parts – before we see a thing.
A vehicle regardless of price point or powertrain is now demonstrably more sophisticated than even a decade ago, which is storing up problems for the near future. The days of designing specific parts to perform more or less just a single task is numbered.
Shouting from the roof tops
There is rightfully a recent call by a collection of organisations right across Europe and the UK, including FIA, to improve access to vehicle information, ensure software is at any point supported for 20 years, and many other good ideas. In other words, make the EU27 vehicle end of life directive work better.
This fine collection of aftermarket groups and insurers, however, may as well climb Mount Everest to proclaim the message. Right now, new models are being created which will be first sold by 2029 – that’s the lead time. So, decisions to help repairability are not going to be fixed now.
However, there is a real challenge ahead. What should a vehicle manufacturer do to compete with enthusiastic newcomers to the European market with significantly lower cost, and hence bigger profit margins? Not import tariffs – since the reaction affects export markets.
No, it’s about doing not just the ‘job’ but higher levels of component and sub-assembly integration. In addition, to reduce new vehicle build cycle time, it should be much, much easier to assemble – which means it is far easier to take apart. Each component will need an investment in technology, making it do more than just one task.
This will not be ‘free’, and individual parts may increase in cost. If the integration is effective, which is not easy, then the number of ‘special’ parts dedicated to a given model might increase, but the overall repair time will decrease – and the part price impact should be manageable with negotiation based on the number bought each year.
One big happy family
To allow vehicle manufacturers to realise their dream of seeing customers ever again after selling a new car or bakkie, they need help. Step forward collision repairers and the better-quality service agents. These professionals buy a load of parts sold by vehicle manufacturers but need something more than an ‘approved’ sign. These professionals need support from manufacturers, which gives then a route to market in the mind of the vehicle owner.
Most ‘approval’ schemes are in effect the trade talking to itself. Owners of vehicles may prefer to use a collision repairer outside of the present network, and there’s very little a manufacturer can do about that. So, why not build a network of repairers who come to the manufacturer for help, and ensure the repaired vehicle is promoted as repaired by professionals – the collision repairer and the manufacturer?
Given turbulence ahead not only from international commerce and product complexity, manufacturers need to buddy up with reliable partners to ensure their business model does more than selling new vehicles.
For example, there’s more – it’s time the people running new vehicle showrooms are given a break too. The cost of running franchises has taken off like a scolded cat, yet the return on investment has definitely declined. The franchise owners need another way – not to abandon the business – but try to improve profitability.
Not all customers are happy to go to these oddly soulless grand buildings to go through a long, long process to buy the vehicle they knew they wanted before entering. This also applies to dealer servicing, where locations may make getting a vehicle serviced or repaired quite difficult on a normal working day. What better way to improve profitability than by partnering with collision repairers to offer localised servicing too?
The collision repairers have more business locations than retail outlets, especially in major cities. Not only are the locations inherently cheaper than the very best retail addresses, but for the public they are easier to reach. Once a customer has bought the vehicle, they want a great service or repair job at an affordable price. So, perhaps integrating manufacturer servicing as well as collision repair into collision repairers makes a lot of sense.
By Andrew Marsh
