The bake hardening effect depends on three parameters i.e. pre-straining, paint baking temperature and paint baking time. The combined effect of all these parameters results into the increase in yield strength, called the “baking effect”. This paper explains the individual effects of these parameters on the baking value. Tensile test were carried out for the 495 samples baked at baking temperature from 140°C to 250°C with differential baking time of 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 minutes and differential pre-straining of 2%, 3% and 5%. The differences of yield strength between the unbaked and baked sample were calculated and the increase in yield strength was noted. After these laboratory trials 800 numbers of door outer panels of a small truck were formed and finish painted. The increment in yield strength after component forming and painting was determined by taking tensile samples from three different locations of 5 painted doors. This would help shop floor optimization of the process parameters and the compatibility with various painting process vis a vis increase in bake hardening strength. It is also leading to a future work to understand clearly the correlation between the baking temperature, increase in strength and the micro structural changes.
