INTRODUCTION TO AUTOMOTIVE MECHANICS

1. Workspace Adjustment Workshop Concept.

Definition of an automotive service workshop. - An automotive service or motor vehicle repair workshop
is understood to be those industrial establishments in which operations are carried out aimed at
restoring the normal conditions of the state and operation of the automobile or its equipment and
components.
The function of an automotive service workshop is to carry out repair, diagnosis or replacement work on
the mechanical system of a vehicle, including its electrical equipment, its structures and its auxiliary
equipment for conditioning, lighting, signaling and indication and control instrumentation. .

2. Specific areas of an automotive workshop.

o Vehicle reception area

o Waiting room for clients
o Washing and conditioning area
o Spare parts area
o Warehouse area
o elevator area
o repair area
o Welding area
o mechanics area
You can also consider putting areas for systems that the car has, such as:
o engine area
o Transmission area
o Address area
o Electricity area
o brake area
o Vehicle performance tester area.

3. Manual tools
 Fastening tools
 Support tools
 Cutting tools
 measuring tool
 percussion tools
  Tools intended for the assembly and disassembly of mechanical assemblies

3.1. Holding tools : as their name indicates, they are elements intended to keep the pieces fixed during
their work. Such as:
 Manual vise or vise
 Pliers. - They are tools of different sizes and multiple uses, we have universal pliers,
nose, cutting, round mouth, inclined tips, insurance, etc.
 Gags. - They are useful in that they allow the clamping of pieces of special shapes and
variable sizes, they are usually larger than the pliers, they allow for precise adjustment.
There are two types of jaws with locking and without locking.
 Tongs. -the same function of the pliers with them does not usually have adjustment
possibilities, their shape varies according to their uses.

3.2. Support tools . - They are tools that serve as support for the pieces while they are subjected to
various operations, generally cold or hot deformation by means of blows:
 Anvils
 Bigornias
 Marble to flatten or after.
 Keychains

3.3. Cutting tools. - These automotive tools are used exclusively to cut or separate some material. It is
usually used for repairs, and among the most common are saws, pipe cutters, taps and shears.

3.4. Measuring tools . These workshop tools are characterized by calculating the size of the pieces or
parts of the automobile in order to establish exact measurements to carry out certain actions. The most
common in this category are the flexometer, the micrometer, the graduated ruler, the caliper, the
square, the manometer, among others.

3.5. Percussion tools.- These automotive tools are used exclusively to hit pieces, such as combo
hammers, etc.

4. Materials Used in the Workshop and Their Properties

The automobile industry uses a large amount of materials to build cars, such as iron, aluminum, steel,
plastic, glass, rubber, petroleum products, copper, etc. These parts are used to create everything from the
little things we don't think about, like dashboard needles and wiring, to the big things, like the engine block
or transmission gears.
These materials have evolved greatly over the decades, becoming more sophisticated, better constructed
and safer.
 Chemical Composition: Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon that contains other alloying
elements, which give it specific mechanical properties for use in the metalworking industry.
Aluminum, Sulfur, Carbon, Boron, Cobalt, Copper, Chromium, Phosphorus, Manganese,
Molybdenum, Nitrogen, Nickel, Lead, Titanium, Tungsten, Vanadium.
Steel In cars, steel is used to create the underlying (compact) chassis or under the cabin forming
the skeleton of the vehicle. Door pillars, roofs and even body panels, created during
automobile manufacturing, are made of steel in most of today's cars. Steel is also used in a
variety of areas throughout the car to accommodate the engine or other parts. Exhaust pipes
are often made of stainless steel, for example.
Plastic materials are composed of complex molecular chains. The molecules can be of
natural origin, such as cellulose, wax and natural rubber, or synthetic, such as polystyrene or
nylon. The materials used in its manufacture are resins in the form of balls or powders or in
solution. The finished plastics are made with these materials. In general, plastics are made
Plastic up of large polymer chains made up of monomers. In turn, these monomers are simply
formed by carbon and hydrogen: CH2-CH2.
Today's cars use enormous amounts of plastics to manufacture them. They represent
around 50 percent of new car construction. It's not surprising, since plastics are durable,
cheap to make, and can be turned into almost anything.
Aluminum is a light metal, with a density 2.7 times greater than that of water. Its melting point
is rather low, around 660ºC. It is resistant to corrosion, thanks to the characteristic protective
layer of aluminum oxide, it resists chemicals, it can be exposed to the elements, the sea, etc.
Aluminu
It is the third most abundant element in the Earth's crust, behind oxygen and silicon. It is an
m
easily recyclable material, without a high cost.
In the world of automobile manufacturing, aluminum is increasingly being used in the
automotive industry for its lightweight yet strong nature.
Glass is an inorganic, homogeneous and amorphous substance, obtained through the
cooling of a molten mass. Its main qualities are transparency and hardness. Glass has
countless applications in the most varied industries. The main oxides are silicon (sio2), boron
(B2O3), and phosphorus (P2O5).
Glass Glass is used in many areas of your car. Obviously, its main use is the creation of
windshields, which means that you can see well and at the same time be safe from any
objects in the air. It is also used to create rear (rear-view) and side (exterior) mirrors.
Additionally, its cousin, fiberglass is also commonly used in automotive manufacturing as an
insulating material in cars.
Rubber Poly-isoprene, or natural rubber, is what we call an elastomer, that is, after being stretched
or deformed, it recovers its original shape. Rubber is an elastic hydrocarbon, cis -1,4-
polyisoprene, polymer of isoprene or 2-methylbutadiene. C5H8 is extracted from a milky
emulsion (known as latex) that arises in the sap of various plants, but can also be produced
 synthetically.
Automobile manufacturing is the driving force of the rubber industry. In addition to tires, it is
used for other important parts such as wiper blades, engine mounts, seals, hoses and belts
that are also made of rubber. Like plastic, it is a very strong, cheap and flexible material that
has a wide range of uses in automobiles.
Chemical element, symbol Cu, with atomic number 29; one of the transition metals and
important non-ferrous metal. Its usefulness is due to the combination of its chemical, physical
and mechanical properties, as well as its electrical properties and abundance. Copper was
Copper one of the first metals used by humans.
Copper fully satisfies the electrical conductivity, durability and resistance requirements
demanded by the sector and is increasingly used: the average amount of copper used today
in electrical components is approximately 18 kilos.
Nowadays, seat belts and seats constitute another textile constant in the automotive
industry, although there are also other textile materials, which, even if they are not visible,
directly influence the proper functioning of automobiles; materials incorporated into the tires
Fabric that contain steel fabrics and keblar, nylon or polyester canvas, as well as many of the hoses
through which the liquids and oils of the vehicles flow, which have a core of canvas or some
type of fabric that It provides the necessary resistance for that natural or synthetic rubber to
withstand the high temperatures and pressures to which they are subjected under the hood.
Industrially, its most important compounds are lead oxides and tetraethyl lead. Lead forms
alloys with many metals and is generally used in this form in most applications. All alloys
formed with tin, copper, arsenic, antimony, bismuth, cadmium and sodium have industrial
Lead importance.
Lead-based alloys have a high density and a low melting point. These alloys are malleable,
have low mechanical strength, and high corrosion resistance. They also have lubrication
properties and low electrical conductivity.

5. The Press Description Characteristics Classification and Uses

It is a machine capable of generating a great force by applying a smaller force to it, as explained by
Pascal's principle.
They are mainly used in the automotive industry as they help to remove or assemble parts of different sizes
such as shock absorbers, to join brakes, to form diaphragms, place bushings, etc.
They carry out reduction, pressing, adhesion, broaching and compression work and are not limited to a
single use.
5.1. Types of presses
 Mechanical press: It is mainly used in machines to make die cuts and perforations, they can be
manual or automatic.
  Hydraulic press: They can have a capacity of different tons, bench press, standing press,
motorized and manual.
 Pneumatic press: Used to flow air into tires.
 Rotary press: They are used for the publishing industries.
 Press brake : Used to generate shapes and curves in non-brittle materials.

6. Safety and Maintenance Standards

The 5S method is a management technique that is based on five principles to achieve better organized,
cleaner, more orderly and ultimately more productive workplaces.

Its origins date back to the 60s, when the Toyota company began to launch it with excellent results. Since then,
it has been applied in different types of organizations and is part of some of the most common production
systems, such as Lean Manufacturing.

Here, in the Basque Country, the 5S methodology has a long tradition, with some reference organizations. In
fact, the 5S Club has existed since 2001, as a learning forum between companies that have implemented the
methodology. It currently has more than 60 companies that advance together by sharing and learning from
each other. Euskalit (the Basque foundation for excellence), for its part, has programs to support the self-
implementation of 5S and has been working to promote its adoption since 1997.

What are 5S The name of the method is given by the initial of the five principles and, although there is no
consensus about who was its creator, Kaoru Ishikawa (Japanese Chemical Engineer linked to studies on “total
quality” in his country) as one of the main drivers.

6.1. What are the 5S?

Each principle is part of a stage, which has its particular objective; although they all integrate perfectly,
which is where the effectiveness of the method lies.

 Seiri: classification and discard

The first stage is focused on the principles of separation and elimination of what is unnecessary;
considering that an orderly and safe work environment dispenses with everything that is not
needed to carry out the task that is intended for that space.

To achieve the objective, all the content of the space must be classified to be treated.
subsequently:
 Disposal – is the disposal of what is not used or used very little. Whether complete elimination
(digitization and recycling of documents, for example) or any other destination that deletes it
(donation, sale, etc.), the intention is to free up physical space.

Storage – is the destination of what is little used, but cannot be eliminated. For example, legal
documents, which must be removed from the workspace and stored in a designated storage
location.

Relocation – things that are used occasionally cannot hinder daily work, so a storage space
must be enabled that is easily accessible from the workplace.

Maintenance – for everything that is used daily in the workplace, which must be sorted in the
next stage.

 Seiton: organization

The philosophy of this stage is summarized in the phrase “a place for everything and everything
in its place”; That is, what this principle seeks is that everything that is needed to do the work
has the correct location.

What is used most frequently, within reach.

What is used in sequences must be based on the sequence.

What is waiting for output, must be at the beginning (following the FIFO theory).

For the operation to be as agile as possible, the entire organization must unify the way things
are called and standardize jobs with the same criteria.

 Seiso: cleaning

Having only what is necessary and with the appropriate classification, it is time to worry about the
cleanliness of the workplace. Cleaning is an important part of this methodology, but it is essential to
maintain the health of workers and essential to maintain their motivation.

Cleaning, in addition to being a daily task, must treat sources of dirt as follows:

If it can be deleted, it is deleted.

If it cannot be eliminated, a cleaning plan is created to prevent its recurrence.

 Seiketsu : visualization

When order, hygiene and cleanliness are internalized habits in the organization, with a single
criterion for all departments and people; Any deviation can be identified through visual
management.
 To implement this visualization, work teams must be created that tour the company spaces to
identify points of improvement with a color management system:

Green places – no detours.

Red places – with detours.

 Shitsuke: discipline and commitment

The last stage of 5S is dedicated to system maintenance, which requires discipline and strict
control. To do this, it is important to establish objectives and measure the results obtained, so that
errors can be evaluated and, where appropriate, resolved.

The last principle is what determines success or failure, since it is not only necessary that it be
ordered – for example – as stipulated; But it is essential that this system be internalized and
become a habit that no one skips.

From here, the kaizen philosophy comes into play, which stipulates that everything can always be
improved and therefore one should always aspire to improvement, even when the result seems
perfect.

6.2. 5S objectives

The ultimate goal of 5S is to establish a system by which working conditions are improved, so that people
and the organization itself benefit.

How is this achieved?

Firstly, creating a safe space and working conditions through risk reduction, prevention, cleanliness,
order and motivation of people.

Secondly, 5S aims to reduce expenses to a minimum. Not only in terms of resources or energy, but
also in terms of time, error reduction and quality improvements.

 Why 5S are important

This methodology is widely spread due to its simplicity, but the results are highly effective in
terms of improving quality (of products and services offered; but also of working conditions),
elimination of downtime and cost reduction.

Furthermore, by seeking a commitment from all the people who make up the organization, it is a
lasting system that allows companies to continuously improve their organization model,
cleanliness, safety, hygiene, productivity and teamwork.

In industry and engineering, the concept of maintenance has the following meanings:
 Any activity – such as checks, measurements, replacements, adjustments and repairs –
necessary to maintain or repair a functional unit so that it can perform its functions.

For materials: maintenance

All those actions carried out to maintain materials in a suitable condition or the processes to
achieve this condition. They include inspection actions, checks, classification, repair, etc.

Set of provision and repair actions necessary for an element to continue fulfilling its purpose.

Recurring routines necessary to maintain a facility (plant, building, real estate, etc.) in proper
condition to allow it to be used efficiently, as designated.

7. Types of maintenance.
In maintenance operations the following definitions can be differentiated

 Maintenance: is the set of activities that have the purpose of preserving or reactivating
equipment so that it fulfills its functions.
 Conservation maintenance : It is intended to compensate for the deterioration of equipment
suffered by use, according to the physical and chemical conditions to which it was subjected. In
conservation maintenance the following can be differentiated:
 Corrective maintenance: It is responsible for correcting observed failures or defects.
 Immediate corrective maintenance: This is what is carried out immediately upon appearance
of the defect or failure, with the available means intended for that purpose.
 Deferred corrective maintenance: At the moment the damage or failure occurs, the installation
or equipment in question stops, to subsequently undertake the repair, requesting the means for
that purpose.
 Percussive maintenance: When the damage or failure occurs, the device is physically
attacked to restart it.
 Preventive maintenance: This maintenance is intended to guarantee the reliability of
equipment in operation before an accident or damage can occur due to deterioration.
 Scheduled maintenance: Performed by inspection schedule, operating time, mileage, etc.
 Predictive maintenance : It is that which carries out interventions by predicting the moment
when the equipment will be out of service by monitoring its operation, determining its evolution,
and therefore the moment at which repairs must be carried out.
 Opportunity maintenance: It is the one that takes advantage of stops or periods of non-use of
the equipment to carry out maintenance operations, carrying out the necessary reviews or
repairs to guarantee the proper functioning of the equipment in the new period of use.
 Update maintenance: Its purpose is to compensate for technological obsolescence or new
requirements that did not exist at the time of construction or were not taken into account. but
currently they should be.