Dent-Resistant Steels

In recent years, weight reduction efforts have led to the decrease in the thickness of all automotive components.  As a result, new grades of steel have been developed to resist the tendency of thin-gage, exposed panels to permanently dent.  Palm printing and/or denting is caused by a variety of factors such as hail, thrown stones or out-of-control shopping carts.

Dent-resistant steels are produced in two principal grades:

	Bake- Hardenable Steel
	Rephosphorized Steels

Dent-resistant steels are relatively new to the automotive industry.  In general, they offer a combination of formability and high yield strength that is not attainable with low-carbon, mild steels or conventional high-strength steels. Dent-resistant steels provide customers with a material that is capable of reducing the severity and number of dents and dings found on the outer body panels of today’s cars.

These materials have the formability requirements needed to produce most exterior applications.  The dent resistance of these exterior parts benefits from both the work and/or bake hardening effects that are experienced during processing.  These parts include doors, deck lids, quarter panels, fenders, hoods and roofs. Please refer to the descriptions of each of the different dent resistant steels for more specific information about material properties and characteristics.