Abstract: The invention makes possible the one-step production of molded bodies (1) of different types out of thermoplastic material with or without reinforcing fibers. For this purpose, a tool with a lower and an upper shell mold (10a, 10b), which form defined surfaces on both sides, is utilized. The shell molds have thin walls and are made out of metal and comprise a centered portion on both shell molds, a displacement compensating, air-tight edge seal (16) and tempering means (13) for the controlled heating and cooling on both shell molds. For production, thermoplastic material (2) with reinforcing fibers (3) is inserted into the shell molds in a locally defined manner, the shell molds are subsequently evacuated (p1) and in doing so pressed together (ds), then heated up to above the melting point and maintained at a temperature (Ts) for the consolidation and flowing of the thermoplastic material under pressure (dp).

Abstract: Abstract of the Disclosure The method enables the series production of light structural components out of long-fiber thermoplastic material (LFT) with integrated continuous fiber (CF) - reinforcements in a single stage LFT - pressing step. In this, CF - tapes (5) are melted open and transferred into a profile tool (21) of a CF - profile forming station (20), there are pressed for a short time period and shaped into the required CF - profile (10). In doing so, by means of contact with the thermally conditioned profile tool (21) on the profile surface (11) a shock-cooled, dimensionally stable, thin casing layer (12) is formed and the inside of the CF - profile remains melted. Following a defined short shock-cooling period (ts), the CF - profile (10) is transferred into an LFT - tool (31) and pressed together with an introduced molten LFT - mass (6). In doing so, the casing layer (12) is melted open again on the surface (11) and is thermoplastically bonded together with the surrounding LFT - mass.