Patent ID: 7491289

Claim:
A method of laying up a laminate structure, the method comprising: forming a metal-polymer composite layer of substantially uniform thickness that non-interruptedly extends from a first face to a second face, the metal-polymer composite layer including: a first portion of non-metallic material including a first resin, the first portion interrupted by the presence of a first cutout; and a second portion of metallic material including a second resin, the second portion substantially filling the first cutout of the first portion, and the second resin being different from the first resin; forming a fiber-reinforced polymeric layer, the fiber-reinforced polymeric layer non-interruptedly extending from the first face to the second face along the metal-polymer composite layer; coupling the fiber-reinforced polymeric layer adjacent to the metal-polymer composite layer; forming a metal layer, the metal layer interruptedly extending along a portion of the fiber-reinforced polymeric layer from a third face to fourth face such that the laminate structure is of non-uniform thickness; and coupling the metal layer adjacent to the fiber-reinforced polymeric layer.