Effect of Steel Strengthening Mechanisms on Dent Resistance of Automotive Body Panels

The dent resistance of a panel is an important consideration when selecting a type of steel for manufacturing. Yield strength, thickness of the formed part, and stiffness (related to curvature) of the panel each contribute to the overall denting behavior. This study examines the dent resistance of several grades of steel; the objective is to determine if a fundamental difference in denting behavior exists between bake hardenable and non-bake hardenable grades after normalizing with respect to yield strength and thickness in the panel. Several key parameters that may contribute to the denting process are examined, including effects of yield strength, strain aging, work hardening, and stiffness. In addition, an apparent strain-path dependence of yield point return has been observed in bake hardenable steels; the effect of this on dent resistance has yet to be determined.