The Assessor Mag Autumn 2024 Web - Flipbook - Page 22
JOURNAL
TECHNICAL
THE REPAIR
REVOLUTION WILL BE
MEGA CAST
In the Winter 2023 edition of ABP Club’s magazine, Auto Body Professional, Darren
Bright (pictured above), Principal Engineer – Automotive Repair, Thatcham Research,
provided an informative view on mega casting and the impact it might have on vehicle
manufacturing and, in turn, on repairers. In this follow-up, Darren offers an update on
the developments since his previous article and the actions being taken by Thatcham
as this revolution gains momentum.
ega casting promises to
be the next revolution
in vehicle design and
repair, and this time
it could be a case of
positive change for bodyshops.
community that has been under
pressure for a decade or more, from
the advent of Electric Vehicles (EVs)
and Advanced Driver Assistance
Systems (ADAS) to an ageing workforce
and general recruitment challenges.
In the year since I last wrote about
mega casting, Vehicle Manufacturers’
(VMs’) plans to use these large
die-cast aluminium body parts in
their production processes have
accelerated.
In fact, there are reasons to be cheerful
about the prospect of more vehicles
that feature mega casting entering
the repair work昀氀ow. That’s something
Thatcham Research is ready to discuss
when we set out our latest insights in a
forthcoming report.
M
The Tesla Model Y indeed remains the
only vehicle on UK roads with mega
casting components included – but it’s
just the tip of the iceberg of what’s to
come.
Damage and repair research in
the spotlight
It’s also true that
all the positive
opportunities
presented by mega
casting will only
come to fruition
if bodyshops
and insurers are
prepared for
its widespread
introduction.
Such a statement may cause tremors
among a bodyshop business
We began our in-depth research, which
we have conducted over the past
22
THE ASSESSORS JOURNAL | AUTUMN 2024 | www.iaea-online.org/news/the-assessor
