The process in which the carbonaceous binder, usually coal tar pitch or petroleum pitch, as part of a shaped carbon mix is converted to carbon yielding a rigid carbon body by the slow application of heat. The process can take as little as 14 days in coarse-grained, electrothermic grades (low binder level) and as long as 36 days in ultra-fine-grained, specialty grades (high binder level). The final baking temperature can be in the range of 1100-1500 K, depending on the grade.