Patent ID: 8071008

Claim:
A method of forming a composite, comprising: placing a composite between a first mold half and a second mold half; heating said composite in a preheat press at a preheat temperature, T preheat , and holding said composite at a preheat pressure, P preheat , wherein said preheat pressure is applied to said composite through said first and second mold halves; transferring said composite to a heating station and heating said composite at a heating temperature T heating and a heating pressure P heating ; transferring said composite to a cooling station and cooling said composite at a cooling temperature, T cooling , and holding said composite at a cooling pressure, P cooling , wherein said cooling pressure is applied to said composite through said first and second mold halves, wherein T heating >T preheat >T cooling and P preheat <P heating <P cooling ; and removing said composite from said first and second mold halves, wherein said composite has a near-net shape.