Patent ID: 8632710

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a composite article comprising the steps of: positioning at least one former on a composite plate; positioning a detachable fitting former on said composite plate at an edge of each positioned former; laying up a composite material layer to at least partially cover and contact an external shaping surface of each former and each detachable fitting former so that each detachable fitting former protrudes outside of the resulting layup and so that the layup extends into contact with the composite plate; curing the layup so that the composite material layer integrates with said composite plate, thereby forming on said composite plate at least one stiffener, each stiffener having walls at least partially enclosing each detachable fitting former to provide support thereto in a predetermined position; removing each former after said curing; and replacing each detachable fitting former after said curing with a fitting having the same detachable fitting former shape so that each fitting is supported by each stiffener in a predetermined position.