Improvements in the uniformity of high strength automotive sheet steels

Since the mid-80's, the Auto/Steel Partnership has been developing a large body of information on the uniformity of mechanical properties of automotive sheet steels. High strength steels ranging from 210 MPa to 340 MPa have been the recent focus of this study. Steels studied were of three different types: non bake hardenable 250 - 280 MPa, bake hardenable 210 - 280 MPa, and HSLA 340 MPa. Comparing more recent property data with that taken in the 1988 to 1992 timeframe shows significant improvements in dimensional and mechanical property uniformity for each of the grades studied.