Patent ID: 8361262

Claim:
A method for manufacturing comprising: placing a unidirectional fiber layer on a porous bonding layer to form a unidirectional lay-up of fibers, the unidirectional lay-up of fibers comprising a first thickness; heating the unidirectional layup of fibers under pressure to fully melt the bonding layer so as to melt bond the bonding layer to the unidirectional fiber layer to form a unidirectional composite tape to substantially maintain the fibers in a desired configuration, the heating of the unidirectional layup of fibers under pressure also reducing the first thickness of the unidirectional layup of fibers in which the porous bonding layer is reduced between 50% to 90% in thickness; loading the unidirectional composite tape into a plurality of tape-lay-down units of a multiaxial fabric machine; pulling a first portion of the unidirectional composite tape from a first tape-lay-down unit and laying down the first portion onto a bed of the multiaxial fabric machine; and pulling a second portion of the unidirectional composite tape from a second tape-lay-down unit and laying down the second portion over the first portion to form a composite fabric, wherein the first portion and the second portion of the unidirectional composite tape are oriented at different angles; laying up at least a portion of the composite fabric on a tool; introducing resin into the composite fabric; and curing the composite fabric on the tool to form a composite component, wherein curing comprises applying heat to the composite fabric at about atmospheric pressure.