Patent ID: 8506873

Claim:
A method for producing a fiber-composite structural aircraft component, which is part of a fuselage, wings or a tail unit of the aircraft, comprising the steps of: (a) introducing a preform, which consists of fibers and polymeric matrix material and has a back portion, a front portion and a peripheral preform border, into a mold that is electrically conductive, such that said back portion is in contact with a bottom of said mold and said peripheral preform border is in electrical contact with said mold at least partly, said fibers comprising carbon fibers, and (b) irradiating said preform with microwaves, without any obscuration, so that said matrix material polymerizes and said fibers and said matrix material adhesively bond to one another, such that said fiber-composite structural aircraft component is created, wherein said microwaves have an intensity that is low enough that arcing is substantially suppressed.