The American Council of Frame and Alignment Specialists (ACOFAS) recently held a two-day training clinic for frame technicians and insurance adjusters in Akron, Ohio.
The clinic focused on terminology, tooling and equipment, the dangers of the frame-straightening process and the importance of working safely, and the insurance industry’s aims regarding frame straightening and quality workmanship.
Attendees were given the opportunity to take part in actually straightening the frame of a dump trailer and the dump box, a Sterling tractor that had been in a head-on collision and a Mack quad dump truck that had tipped over. Each student was allowed to assess the damage, recommend the straightening process and make the corrections. Some of the insurance adjusters were straightening frames with the technicians so they know what is involved. The frames of the three demonstration vehicles were all straightened by the end of the second day.
The next ACOFAS training clinics will be on “Recreational Vehicle Suspension and Steering Enhancements” in March 2007 in Elk River, MN and “ABS and ABS-6 Braking System and Their Effect on Steering and Front End Alignment” in May 2007 in Huntington, IN.
ACOFAS Technician Training Clinics are open to ACOFAS members and their technicians, ACOFAS Associate Members, SSA, NTHECC, and HDDA and their members and all interested parties. All members of ACOFAS, SSA, NTHECC and HDDA are encouraged to view and use the ACOFAS Forum for technical questions and problem solving. The address for the Forum is: www.acofas.com.