A method of forming a reinforced panel , the method comprising: engaging a reinforcement component with a first portion of a heated press, the reinforcement component having a faying surface ; engaging an uncured panel component with an opposing second portion of the press, the panel component having a faying surface complementarily-configured with respect to the faying surface of the reinforcement component ; treating the faying surface of the reinforcement component such that the faying surface is active for co-bonding with respect to the panel component ; actuating the press to direct the first and second portions of the press toward each other, such that the faying surfaces of the reinforcement component and the panel component are complementarily engaged under pressure; and heating the first and second portions of the press to a curing temperature associated with the panel component to simultaneously or substantially simultaneously co-bond the faying surfaces of the reinforcement component and the panel component together, cure the panel component , and form the reinforced panel ; and wherein engaging the reinforcement component with the first portion of the heated press comprises engaging a press surface of the reinforcement component with an intermediate insert complementarily configured with respect to the press surface, the press surface opposing the faying surface of the reinforcement component , the intermediate insert having a planar first surface engaging with a planar surface of the first portion and an opposing second surface engaging with and conformal to the reinforcement component such that the pressure applied to the reinforcement component and the panel component , between the first and second portions , is evenly distributed across the reinforcement component . engaging a reinforcement component with a first portion of a heated press, the reinforcement component having a faying surface ; engaging an uncured panel component with an opposing second portion of the press, the panel component having a faying surface complementarily-configured with respect to the faying surface of the reinforcement component ; treating the faying surface of the reinforcement component such that the faying surface is active for co-bonding with respect to the panel component ; actuating the press to direct the first and second portions of the press toward each other, such that the faying surfaces of the reinforcement component and the panel component are complementarily engaged under pressure; and heating the first and second portions of the press to a curing temperature associated with the panel component to simultaneously or substantially simultaneously co-bond the faying surfaces of the reinforcement component and the panel component together, cure the panel component , and form the reinforced panel ; and wherein engaging the reinforcement component with the first portion of the heated press comprises engaging a press surface of the reinforcement component with an intermediate insert complementarily configured with respect to the press surface, the press surface opposing the faying surface of the reinforcement component , the intermediate insert having a planar first surface engaging with a planar surface of the first portion and an opposing second surface engaging with and conformal to the reinforcement component such that the pressure applied to the reinforcement component and the panel component , between the first and second portions , is evenly distributed across the reinforcement component . <EOS>