Low Bake Trend

One of the major forces is the global shift from Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles to Electric Vehicles (EVs), hybrids, and hydrogen-powered vehicles. This transition is reshaping vehicle designs, requiring Body-in-White (BIW) solutions that can handle complex combinations of metals and geometries. These solutions must meet evolving demands for lighter, stronger, quieter, and safer vehicles, while also improving environmental performance. Technical factors play a key role here. BIW adhesives used in specific areas like the rocker panels, especially in Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), require precise curing. Given the size of the rockers, which protect the battery, cold spots can become a challenge, making low bake solutions critical for proper adhesive curing. Energy efficiency is another significant driver. Paint and body shops, as high energy users, are under pressure to reduce costs and meet sustainability goals. Lowering operational expenditures (OPEX) is increasingly important, and low bake processes enable curing at lower oven temperatures, reducing the overall oven heat requirements and energy consumption. At Sika, we address these needs with a range of heat-activated products, including coatings, sealants, baffles, reinforcements, adhesives, and acoustic solutions—all designed to cure at lower temperatures. 

 In automotive manufacturing, achieving uniform temperatures in thicker structures, such as reinforced protection around the battery in EVs or hidden side pockets, is challenging. The wider curing window provided by low bake adhesives ensures excellent bonding strength in these hard-to-reach areas. As one customer noted, "Insufficient heat penetration is a challenge that can add more time due to warming up. Low-bake adhesives can potentially save us 10-15 minutes per cycle." At Sika, we identified the low bake trend more than a decade ago and responded by investing in research and development. Our R&D department started developing technological building blocks, resulting in a portfolio of well-proven low bake products that deliver the same state-of-the-art performance as standard bake products. 

The increasing emphasis on sustainability, reducing global warming potential (GWP), and achieving environmental goals has made energy reduction a critical priority across industries. As a result, we continue to collaborate closely with our customers to meet their targets for the body shop of the future.  Sika is a key enabler in advancing sustainability in automotive manufacturing. Our low-bake technologies not only meet industry performance standards but also contribute to energy savings and reduced emissions. By partnering with leading OEMs and continuously innovating, we help drive the industry towards more sustainable vehicle production practices. At Sika, we respond to the evolving needs of our customers with a comprehensive product portfolio. By adopting a collaborative approach to sustainability and working as a strategic partner to the automotive industry, we develop solutions that enhance performance, lower costs, streamline processes, and support carbon reduction efforts. As a reliable partner, we offer a full range of solutions tailored to your specific requirements. 

Our chemists and R&D experts began researching and have developed a range of low-bake materials that allow curing at temperatures as low as 135-140°C, compared to the typical 160-200°C required for conventional low bake technologies.  As the industry evolves, the future goal is to move toward "no-bake" processes, which would significantly simplify manufacturing. While this concept requires innovative materials and a fresh approach, it represents an exciting step forward in efficiency and sustainability. To develop our low bake range, Sika teamed up with leading OEMs focused on adopting more sustainable practices. Together, we identified key requirements and challenges for each automotive body shop. Despite the unique conditions of each production line, the products needed to excel in bonding strength, Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH), crash performance, and other critical properties for automotive manufacturing.  

Sika’s low-bake technologies play a crucial role in many parts of the vehicle. With solutions spanning the entire portfolio, Sika stands out as one of the few suppliers offering such a broad and deep range for low bake products and solutions. Our focus is on three key product areas:  structural bonding, body structure and panel reinforcement, acoustic performance, and cavity Sealing. A new generation of Sika solutions are being developed with recyclable and bio-based raw materials. The goal is to have product formulations fully based on sustainable raw materials designed to meet sustainability requirements of our automotive customers. 

Structural bonding is the most effective joining technique employed in the body shop. Car manufacturers around the world rely on SikaPower® adhesives for a broad range of applications. In addition to its proven high-performance joining capabilities for similar and mixed metal or material surfaces, SikaPower® offers a wide range of benefits. These include enhanced car body stiffness, excellent oil absorption, superior wash-out resistance, long-term corrosion protection, extended shelf-life, and a reduction in the required number of spot welds. A new generation of structural, crash and low bake adhesives has been specifically designed to meet sustainability requirements of OEMs. Recyclable and bio-based raw materials are currently in the implementation phase in many Sika solutions. The ultimate goal is to have product formulations fully based on sustainable raw materials.   

For the body structure or panels, SikaReinforcer® serves as a heat-reactive and foamable epoxy material used for reinforcement. Sika has a global footprint in development and production, allowing us to serve all regions with industry-leading solutions. Our R&D and CAE engineers play a critical role in developing this technology, ensuring we stay ahead of industry specifications such as sustainability, low bake, or no bake requirements. With a long history of expertise in SikaReinforcer products and the application of structural inserts, Sika is well-positioned to adapt quickly to any evolving needs.   

SikaBaffle® includes a range of low-bake materials designed to improve vehicle acoustic performance and cavity sealing. These materials effectively seal the car body, reducing noise transmission and preventing the ingress of water, moisture and dust. SikaBaffle® ensures that vehicles are not only quieter but also better protected against environmental elements. In body shop and paint shop processes, we have developed a range of SikaDamp® low bake and no-bake materials, a family of sound deadening and vibration-reduction products.  These innovations help enhance vehicle comfort by reducing noise and vibrations, contributing to a quieter and more pleasant driving experience.