BUTLER TWP — Starting this year, the collision repair program at the Butler County Vocational-Technical School has a machine that is the newest technology available in the auto body industry.

“This is just the newest and the largest; the biggest and the best,” said Dave Peters, collision repair instructor, of the new frame machine.

This platform raises and lowers vehicles so mechanics can work on them.

Joe Cunningham, vo-tech director, said the machine is the only one in the county.

The $25,000 machine was paid for with federal funds. It was brought to the school two months ago, taking one day to install.

The old frame machine was put in the school in the early 1980s. Peters said it did not get used often.

“We would use it, but not this much,” Peters said. “It was just so old and ancient.”

Body shops around the county that often use the vo-tech for training did not want to train on the old machine, Peters said.

The program’s occupational advisory committee, which is made up of body shop owners, advised Peters last spring to replace the machine. The old one was removed in the summer by the school’s maintenance crew.

Cunningham worked on getting federal grants to buy a new machine at the same time.

There are several advantages to the new machine.

Frame towers, which help remove car panels, can be slid around the machine easily. It can accommodate three towers at a time.

The entire machine is electric and operated with buttons. The older machine used air hoses and foot pedals to operate.

“Now, it’s just a push of a button,” Peters said.

The entire machine is movable while the old machine was embedded in the concrete of the auto shop’s floor.

The machine also came with an electric winch.

Peters said the new machine will last 20 to 30 years.

So far, Peters said, his students appreciate the new technology.

“They’re enjoying it, they’re liking it,” Peters said.

It has been used to work on quarter panels on three cars since it was installed.

Peters said his two-year curriculum is divided by subject and by year. This year, the students are learning about refinishing and next year they will be learning about structural work, a subject where the machine will come in handy.

“Next year, we’ll be using it quite a bit,” Peters said.

Cunningham said he is pleased that the program is using such new technology.

“I think it’s outstanding,” he said. “I think it’s just another resource for the community.”