Patent ID: 8268107

Claim:
A method, comprising: curing a caul plate from reinforced composite material to create a fully-cured, rigid, caul plate, wherein the caul plate comprises at least one aperture extending across a surface thereof; positioning the fully-cured, rigid caul plate proximate a composite lay-up that is uncured, wherein the composite lay-up comprises a planar portion and a stiffener structure projecting from a surface of the planar portion and which fits through the aperture in the caul plate; and curing the composite lay-up, the curing co-bonding the fully-cured caul plate to the composite lay-up by applying a unilateral force to a point on a first surface of the fully-cured caul plate so that the force is transferred as substantially evenly applied pressure upon an adjoining surface of the composite lay-up that is situated adjacent a second surface of the fully-cured caul plate, whereby the caul plate forms an outside skin of a fully cured component comprising the composite layup and the caul plate.