Patent ID: 8771575

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a composite part from a blank having an intermediate ply oriented in a first direction, a first outer ply disposed on a first side of the intermediate ply and oriented transverse to the first direction, and a second outer ply disposed on a second side of the intermediate ply opposite to the first side and oriented transverse to the first direction, the method comprising: positioning the blank between a convex die and a concave die, with the intermediate ply oriented with fibers generally parallel to a longitudinal direction in which an internal corner of the concave die and an external corner of the convex die extend, and with the first outer ply and the second outer ply oriented with fibers generally transverse to the longitudinal direction, wherein a radius of the internal corner that forms a corner of the composite part is less than a radius of the external corner that forms the corner of the composite part plus the thickness of a section of the composite part adjacent to the corner of the composite part; and pressing the blank between the convex die and concave die such that fibers of the intermediate ply migrate into the corner of the composite part and provide the intermediate ply with an increased cross-sectional thickness at the corner of the composite part.