Bake
Bake turns up in 2 fields: fasteners, PCBs. Here is what it means to the people in each one.
Bake in fasteners
To heat plated high-strength fasteners soon after plating so absorbed hydrogen escapes before it cracks them.
An embrittlement relief treatment in which electroplated or acid-cleaned parts of high hardness are held at about 190 to 220 C for several hours, starting within a few hours of plating. The heat drives absorbed hydrogen out or traps it harmlessly before it can cause delayed cracking. Baking lowers the risk without removing it, which is why many specifications ban electroplating on the hardest grades altogether.
"Plating has to bake the 12.9s within four hours, so don't let that basket sit on the dock overnight."
Bake in PCBs
To heat bare boards or moisture-sensitive parts in an oven to drive out absorbed water before soldering.
Baking removes moisture that laminates and plastic component packages absorb from the air. Without it, trapped water turns to steam in reflow and causes delamination, measling or popcorning. Bare boards are commonly baked at about 105 to 125 degrees C for a few hours, while moisture-sensitive components follow J-STD-033 times and temperatures for their MSL rating once their floor life has run out.
"Those reels sat open for two weeks and they're MSL 3, bake them before they go on the line."