Patent ID: 8021595

Claim:
A method of producing a panel having at least one feature comprising a discontinuation in curvature of surface in the surface, the method comprising the steps of: providing a first reinforced layer of long and/or continuous parallel fibre reinforced thermoplastic of a first polymer; providing a core layer of thermoplastic of a second polymer which is compatible with the first polymer; providing a second reinforced layer of long or continuous parallel fibre reinforced thermoplastic of the first polymer; stacking the layers such that the reinforced layers are separated by the core layer; providing at least two additional reinforced layers so that two reinforced layers are on either side of the core layer to provide outermost layers and inner layers, wherein the outermost layers incorporate fibres in a first direction and the inner layers incorporated fibres in a second direction, orthogonal to the first direction, and the core is disposed between the inner layers; and introducing the stack into a panel mould and heating the mould to at least the melting point of at least one of the first and the second polymer to consolidate the layers and form the panel with a discontinuation in curvature.