PDR Glossary
The following terms are used on our Web site, as well as throughout the autobody industry.
- Aluminum
- An optional data input field in the Sullivan PDR Estimator. Aluminum is a strong-but-lightweight metal used increasingly in the automotive industry for bolt-on panels, such as the hood and deck lid. Aluminum is more difficult to repair by PDR methods than is steel. Aluminum panels, therefore, trigger a difficulty increase in the repair price. The Sullivan PDR Estimator automatically assumes that the panel being estimated is not aluminum. Users should be careful, therefore, not to miss aluminum panels so that the estimate results will be adequate to pay for the needed repair.
- Body Lines
- An optional data input field in the Sullivan PDR Estimator. A body line is any feature in a body panel that has the effect of causing the eye to perceive a “line’. Body lines can be concave or convex, hard or soft. Body lines present an added difficulty factor in PDR and PTP repairs. The Sullivan PDR Estimator accounts for the number of body lines crossed by a dent. The Estimator defaults to a value of “0″ in this field, and will accept a value as high as 10.
- Brace
- See Over a Brace.
- Doubled Panel
- An optional data input field in the Sullivan PDR Estimator. A doubled panel is an exterior automotive panel that has another panel behind it in such close proximity that it is not possible to insert a PDR tool in between the two. Doubled panels are common at the tops of doors, in some roofs, and on some hoods, and constitute a difficulty factor, resulting in a higher price. The Sullivan PDR Estimator defaults to an answer of “no” on the question of whether a panel is doubled. Users should be careful not to miss this difficulty factor when it exists.
- Creased
- A particular feature in a dent or crown that is defined by a fold-like appearance, much like what is seen when a piece of paper is folded and then unfolded. The crease presents an added difficulty in repair, and triggers a difficulty increase in the repair price.
- Crown
- A raised area of damage, typically associated with an adjacent dent. Also called an “eyebrow”. The Sullivan PDR Estimator accounts for crowns by including them in the length and width measurements for each dent being estimated. In other words, if an indentation is 5 inches long, and has a 3-inch crown next to it, then the crown is included, and the total length is considered to be 8 inches.
- Dent Depth
- Refers to the depth of a dent, and is indicated by the choices: shallow, medium, and deep. Dent depth is something of a judgment call that comes with experience. A dent that can barely be seen would typically be categorized as “shallow”, while one that can be felt when the hand and fingers are run across it, would generally be considered “deep”. The Sullivan PDR Estimator’s “Dent Depth” field defaults to “normal”.
- Dent Length
- One of the required input fields for the Sullivan PDR Estimator. Dent Length is defined as the longest distance across a dent, whether that line be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal. The length should include not only the indentation, but also any raised areas, commonly called “eyebrows” or “crowns”. See also dent width.
- Dent Width
- One of the required input fields for the Sullivan PDR Estimator. Dent Width is defined as the shortest distance across a dent, whether that line be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal. The width should include not only the indentation, but also any raised areas, commonly called “eyebrows” or “crowns”. See also dent length.
- Discount Repair
- An optional input field on the Sullivan PDR Estimator. This function is included as a convenience for the occasion on which the person writing the estimate should want to offer a discount for any reason. Available values are in 5% increments, ranging from 0% to %100. Example: On a repair that is normally priced at $100, entering a “Discount Repair” value of 5% will lower the price to $95.
- Edge
- One of the optional input fields for the Sullivan PDR Estimator. “Edge” refers to the edge of a body panel. Dents that are within one inch (2.54 cm) of a panel’s edge are more difficult to repair than dents that are “in the open”. Thus, they trigger a cost increase. The Estimator assumes that a dent is not near any edges, so the user should be careful to enter “Yes” in this field if the difficulty factor is justified.
- Expected Perfection
- An optional field in the Sullivan PDR Estimator. In the event that a perfect repair is not expected to be possible, the user may notate the expected level of perfection in the appropriate field. This has the affect of altering the total estimate price accordingly. Example: On a dent that would normally cost $100 to repair, setting the Expected Perfection to a value of 95% would yield a total repair cost of $95.
- Eyebrow
- See Crown.
- Over a Brace
- An optional data input field in the Sullivan PDR Estimator. A brace is any supporting substructure over which a body panel is installed. Braces behind a damaged area often hinder the use of the most preferable PDR and PTP repair methods, making more difficult techniques necessary. The Sullivan PDR Estimator increases the price of a repair accordingly where bracing is present. The Estimator defaults to a value of “0″ in this field.
- Override Price
- An optional input field in the Sullivan PDR Estimator, by which a user may override the normal repair price by entering any value he or she likes. This field is included as a convenience for the rare case in which the normal repair price needs to be raised or lowered. Example: The estimate came to $100, but was manually changed to $145.00 because the vehicle was immovable and had to be repaired outside.
- Paintless Dent Repair (PDR)
- The general term for any of a number of techniques used to repair dents on automotive panels in such a way that the panel’s paint is preserved. Techniques may include massaging or “pushing” the dent from the rear of the panel by any of a number of metal hand tools or pneumatic tools, and “pulling” the dents out from the painted side of the panel by use of adhesives, “glue tabs”, and various pulling devices.
- PDR
- Acronym for Paintless Dent Repair
- Poke
- A small and relatively-pointed raised area on a panel. Pokes can be caused by a PDR or PTP technician pushing too hard with a sharp tool, by rocks hitting the backside of panels, or by a hood or deck lid being closed on top of some protruding object.
- PTP
- Acronym for Push to Paint.
- Push to Paint™ (PTP)
- A technique of repairing a damaged automotive panel to a point that it can be sanded, primed, and repainted. PTP is generally more cost-effective than convention repair, and is particularly useful when a damaged panel’s paint is already cracked, or would be expected to crack during the PDR process (because of the severe sharpness of the dent in question). PTP often employs the same techniques as PDR, but generally does not require as great a skill level.
- Removal and Installation
- Also called R&I. Refers to the process of removing and re-installing various automotive parts in order to facilitate a repair. For example, the headliner may need to be removed to PDR a roof panel, or a tail lamp may have to be removed to access a quarter panel. The Sullivan PDR Estimator does not price R&I, but it does allow an estimator to notate which R&I items will be necessary for the repair being estimated.
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