Matching vehicle parts back to the vehicle: a study of the process

Abstract

Some elaborate car theft schemes have involved the removal of vehicle panels. Matching vehicle panels back to the chassis from which they have been stripped typically relies on the comparison of the paint layers on the panel and the car. A new method of comparison involves comparison of the areas of close contact between the panels and the chassis. In these areas, patterns can be formed by the capillary action of the surface coatings into the gaps between the panels and the chassis. These patterns are random and therefore unique to each different contact area allowing panels to be conclusively matched back to the chassis. A study of the manufacturing process in a vehicle assembly plant in New Zealand was conducted and confirmed the uniqueness of the patterns.