Smart Repair: the latest technologies to repair scratches and small dents on the car without going to the workshop

Just as many users are encouraged to change their cell phone screen by following a YouTube tutorial or installing smart devices at home, more and more drivers are turning to designed products to perform small cosmetic repairs without the need for professional tools.

The appearance of new materials gave rise to a phenomenon known as Smart Repair (smart repair), a set of procedures designed to solve superficial damage locally, quickly and at a considerably lower cost than a conventional repair.

Its growth also boosted the development of products for the home user, while, at the other end, they began to become popular specialized services that do not seek to repair dents, but rather preserve the original paint through technological coatings.

To solve these aesthetic problems without having to go to a workshop, today you can find paintings formulated according to the original code of each vehicle, touch-up sprays, correction pencils, quick-drying putties, adhesion chemicals, transparent varnishes, scratch removers and polishing compounds that allow you to recover shine and uniformity.

He Smart Repair was born several years ago in Europe as an alternative to resolve aesthetic damage without intervening a complete part of the vehicle. Instead of removing a fender or repainting an entire door, the work is concentrated exclusively on the affected surfaceavoiding disassembling or repainting complete parts and reducing costs, work times and waste of materials.

Behind this change there is not a single technique, but a combination of technologies for the development of new automotive paintsintelligent coatings, precision tools and digital systems to match the original color of the vehicle.

“The philosophy of Smart Repair consists of repairing only the damaged area without intervening on the entire piece,” explains Fernando Velazquezinstructor at the Sinteplast Automotive Training Center, where courses are taught for professionals and amateurs.

Although this method has been used for years in specialized workshops, the appearance of new products and application systems made it possible for part of these solutions to also reach the end user.

Not all paint problems require a visit to the body shop. Advances in formulations and application systems make it possible to solve a wide variety of surface defects without previous experience.

Among the most common cases are scratches that affect only the varnish layer, marks caused by parking friction, small loss of gloss and some localized damage caused by stones.

There are also specific products to recover the original appearance of exterior plastic parts, bumpers or moldings damaged by the sun and weather.

The key is in correctly identify the depth of the damage. If the scratch did not reach the sheet metal and the piece does not show deformations, there are many possibilities to solve it through a cleaning, polishing or localized retouching process.

However, specialists warn that these products have very clear boundaries.

“Aerosols can get you out of trouble for some stupid things, but they are not useful for doing a professional job. You can’t spray paint a hood. because it does not have a 20 centimeter spray fan like a professional gun,” explains Luis “Lucho” Calvente, representative of Taller de mi Amigo de Barracas, in dialogue with Clarion.

According to this professional with more than 20 years in the trade, the limitations They appear especially in metallic and pearl paints. “The varnish also works differently and there you need professional equipment to achieve an even finish,” he added.

For Calvente, these products fulfill a specific function: solve a specific problem or get out of trouble, but They do not replace the work of a sheet metal worker.

“Many times someone who rented a car comes and has to return it that same afternoon because a corner of the bumper was scratched. What they are looking for is a retouch so that the blow goes unnoticed. In those cases it can be an alternative,” he explained.

According to the tinker, this type of orders is also common in taxis, remises, work vehicles or imported models whose owners cannot leave the vehicle detained in a workshop for several days.

Even so, he clarifies that the professional workforce continues to be indispensable when there are significant deformations, structural damage or when the objective is to exactly recover the original factory finish. In these cases, touch-up products are not a substitute for experience, paint booths or professional equipment.

Another aspect that often goes unnoticed is the quality of the materials. “There are products that promise too much. I even tried some specific thinners and the experience was not good. The quality of the materials continues to make a huge difference in the final result,” he summarized.

Although the solutions are increasingly accessible, the workshop leaders agree that there are situations where the Smart Repair It stops being an alternative.

When the scratch completely goes through the paint and leaves the sheet metal exposed, corrosion appears, the piece presents significant deformations or the damage compromises structural areas, a localized retouch is no longer enough.

Using inappropriate materials, applying products on hot surfaces or work in direct sunsituations that usually cause differences in color, texture or adhesion.

In these cases, it is still necessary to resort to traditional sheet metal, painting and baking processes.

If he Smart Repair aims to repair specific damages quickly and economically, another trend that is gaining ground among vehicle owners is the car detailinga discipline focused not on fixing a hit but on preserve the original painting and improve the aesthetic appearance of the car. .

“He detailing It is a process of aesthetic care and comprehensive protection of the bodywork that seeks to bring the paint to the highest level of gloss and conservation possible. It not only improves the aesthetics, but protects the original paint for many years,” explains Emiliano Di Vecchia, founder of Somos Detailing.

Unlike a traditional body and paint shop, this process includes the correction of microscopic imperfections such as washing marks, superficial scratches, loss of gloss and opacity through different stages of technical polishing, before applying long-lasting protective products.

After the correction process, the protective treatments. One of the most used are ceramic coatings, chemical sealants that generate a highly hard film capable of repelling water, dirt, ultraviolet radiation and environmental contaminants.

But the maximum protection today is represented by the Paint Protection Film (PPF). Basically, a virtually imperceptible transparent film that absorbs stone chips, accidental scratches and even minor vandalism, and can last up to ten years when properly installed.

The technology behind this material serves as a second skin over the original paint and, in some cases, it even has self-healing properties against small surface marks caused by heat.

So the evolution of smart paints, digital color matching systems, ceramic coatings and protective films shows that technology is also changing the way you maintain a car.