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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 Mercedes-Benz says about structural sectioning.
Vehicle-specific Mercedes-Benz repair manuals offer procedures for sectioning of various parts. The General Information on Body Repair section of the body repair manual should be your first stop. This section will provide descriptions of the various symbols and codes located through the procedure, safety precautions, and other general information.
It is also crucial to pay attention to the various information sections throughout the entire procedure. For example, in the front lower rail sectioning procedure for the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC300, one of the information areas states, “Perform inert gas welding at intervals and allow to cool down in between. This reduces heat distortion.”
The type of sectioning joint used will be dependent on the specific repair procedure being referenced. Also use 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 will sacrifice the safety and quality of the repair.
Mercedes-Benz vehicle-specific body repair manuals can be found at: www.starkinfo.com.
For additional Mercedes-Benz information, check out the Mercedes-Benz OEM Information page.
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Article validated in 2025