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Ask I-CAR receives many technical inquiries referring to sectioning. The collision repair industry wants to know where can you section, does the OEM have a sectioning procedure, and where can I find the sectioning procedure? Most OEMs allow sectioning to outer body panels and the front and rear rails. Sectioning reinforcements is not as common, as most reinforcements are replaced at factory seams.
Parts are made from various materials including HSS, UHSS, aluminum, and carbon fiber. These parts also have complex designs to collapse or transfer collision forces in a specific manner. Introducing a sectioning joint to many of these parts will alter how the part reacts to those collision forces. For this reason, sectioning a part is only allowed if supported by vehicle maker repair information. Let’s see what Volvo says about structural sectioning.
Vehicle-specific Volvo repair manuals offer procedures for sectioning of various parts. The General Information area should be your first stop. This is located under: Information ➤ Repair ➤ General Information ➤ 8 Body And Interior ➤ 81 Body Frame ➤ 810 General. This area provides additional subsections that include:
- Sheet Metal Information for vehicle construction, materials, and MPA ratings
- Welding, General
- Aluminum, Repair
Volvo predominately uses detailed illustrations for their repair procedures. Text is used only when it is not possible to illustrate the method of work. This makes it crucial to pay attention to the few notes provided in the procedure or on the illustrations.
For example, in the B-pillar reinforcement sectioning procedure for the 2024 Volvo XC90, one of the illustrations shows the cutline and the note below states, "Cutting is permitted within the area indicated." It is worth noting that the B-pillar reinforcement is ultra-high-strength steel and Volvo shows three different areas available for sectioning.
To find this procedure and others, go to: Information ➤ Removal, Replacement And Installation ➤ 8 Body And Interior ➤ 81 Body Frame.
The type of sectioning joint depends on the specific repair procedure being referenced. Always refer to the vehicle-specific body repair manual to determine which type of welding is required for the repair you are performing. Failure to follow OEM procedures sacrifices the safety and quality of the repair.
Volvo vehicle-specific body repair manuals can be found at: www.volvotechinfo.com .
For additional Volvo information, check out the Volvo OEM Information page.
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Article validated in 2024