Patent ID: 7204906

Claim:
A process for forming a composite part in a die press having a first die including a first non-planar surface and a second die including a second non-planar surface, the die press being operable between an open position and a forming position, the first non-planar surface and the second non-planar surface being substantially complementary to define a substantially constant gap in the forming position, the process comprising the steps of; disposing a composite stack in the open position, the stack comprising a pair of sheet metal skins, each of said skins having a thickness of at least about 0.005 in., and a paper layer which has been impregnated with resin disposed between and in contact with said skins of sheet metal; causing the die press to transition from the open position to the closed position; applying a uniform pressure to said stack for sufficient time to bond together said skins and said paper layer while in the same operation forming a non-planar part from said stack wherein said uniform pressure does not vary more than 10% at any two points along the surface of said stack; moving a periphery of said stack in a direction toward a center thereof as the die press is closed to the forming position having said uniform gap; and contacting substantially the entire surface of the stack with the die press.