Patent ID: 6854964

Claim:
A mold assembly comprising: a first platen and mold cavity portion; a second platen and mold cavity portion, the first and second mold cavity portions constructed and arranged for receiving in a mold cavity thereof; a preform billet comprising a thermosetting resin and at least about 50% by weight of a graphite filler material, the preform billet having a cross-sectional area in the plane of the mold cavity portions which is only a fraction of the area of the mold cavity portions; a press for performing a molding operation, wherein the press is capable of forcing the first and second platen and mold cavity portions together in an interfitting relationship, thereby compressing and flowing the preform billet into a molded plate with features therein defined by the first and second cavity portions; and wherein the molded plate includes at least one diaphragm area having a thinner web of molded material therein which is readily removable from the molded plate when it is put in use.