Patent ID: 7186948

Claim:
A method for the fabrication of structural members of metal matrix composites comprising: providing a support surface addressed by a compaction device; feeding a metal matrix prepeg tape having opposing surfaces between said support surface and said compaction device so as to define a V-shaped junction, wherein one surface of said metal matrix prepeg tape is placed on said support surface and the opposing surface of said metal matrix prepeg tape is at least partially contacted by said compaction device; impacting said metal matrix prepeg tape with a beam of infrared radiation at said junction to melt at least one of said opposing surfaces in said junction; and simultaneously with the impacting of said beam of infrared radiation in said junction, moving said compaction device translationally and laterally across said support surface so as to take up said prepreg tape onto said support surface as said at least one melted surface cools and solidifies and pressing said compaction device against said prepreg tape so as to cause consolidation of said prepreg tape.