OEM certification requires your shop to own specific frame, welding, riveting, and calibration equipment that meets each automaker’s exact standards. It is not enough to have tools that “seem good enough.” Every automaker that certifies shops publishes its own list of approved equipment, and you have to use that exact equipment to pass. At Lombard Equipment, we help body shops across the eastern U.S. figure out what they need and close any gaps before an audit. Here is what OEM certification really checks, and what it takes to stay certified.
Most certification programs start with your frame machine. Automakers want proof that your shop can pull a damaged frame back to factory measurements. That means you need a bench or floor frame machine rated for their vehicles, with the right measuring system attached. Our frame machines page breaks down which setups meet the most common OEM specs.
Next comes welding and riveting. Many new vehicles use aluminum panels, high-strength steel, or a mix of both, and each material needs a different repair method. OEMs check that your shop has the right welding systems and riveting tools for the materials their vehicles are built from. Using the wrong weld on the wrong metal can weaken the car’s structure and fail an audit on the spot.
The newest requirement, and the one shops get wrong most often, is ADAS calibration. Almost every car built in the last few years has cameras and sensors that control safety features like lane assist and automatic braking. If your shop repairs a car with these features, OEMs expect you to calibrate them correctly using approved ADAS calibration equipment, not guesswork.
OEMs don’t accept just any brand of equipment. Each automaker keeps a list of approved manufacturers, and Lombard represents several of them, including GYS, Texa, Chisum, and Cam Auto. If your current equipment isn’t on the approved list for the certification you’re chasing, it will not pass, even if it works perfectly well for other repairs.
Skipping this step is expensive. Shops that fail a certification audit lose access to that OEM’s direct repair program, which means fewer referrals and less trust from insurance partners. Getting it right the first time saves you the cost of a second inspection and the lost business in between.
The honest answer is that certification equipment is not cheap, and the total cost depends on how many OEMs you want to certify for and what equipment you already own. A single frame machine or ADAS calibration system can run into the tens of thousands of dollars. That’s a real number, and we would rather tell you that up front than surprise you later.
You have options to manage that cost. Equipment financing spreads the expense out over time so you’re not paying it all at once, and refurbished equipment can lower your upfront cost on machines that don’t need to be brand new to meet spec. Either way, the goal is getting you certified without draining your shop’s cash flow.
OEM certification comes down to three things: the right frame machine, the right welding and riveting setup, and the right ADAS calibration tools, all from approved manufacturers. Skipping any one of them puts your certification, and your DRP relationships, at risk. If you’re not sure what your shop is missing, talk to your local Lombard sales rep and we’ll walk through exactly what your target OEM requires.
Each automaker publishes its own equipment list for certified shops. Your Lombard sales rep can walk you through the current list for any OEM you’re targeting and tell you what you already have covered.
In many cases, yes, as long as the refurbished machine meets the same specs as new equipment. We can tell you which of our refurbished equipment qualifies for the certification you’re after.
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