Abstract: A method of press molding a molding material to form a vehicle body panel of fiber-reinforced resin matrix composite material, the vehicle body panel having a front A-surface and a rear B-surface, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing a heated mold tool having a lower mold part and an upper mold part, the upper mold part having a first molding surface for molding a front A-surface of the vehicle body panel and the lower mold part having a second molding surface for molding a rear B-surface of the vehicle body panel; ii. providing a multilaminar panel of molding material comprising at least one layer of fibers and at least one layer of resin, the multilaminar panel having first and second opposite major surfaces, a surface resin layer of the multilaminar panel being at or adjacent to the first major surface; iii. locating the molding material in the mold tool; iv. closing the mold tool to define a substantially closed mold cavity containing the molding material; v.

Abstract: A method of press molding a molding material to form a molded part of fiber-reinforced resin matrix composite material, the method comprising the steps of: i. locating a molding material in a mold tool, the molding material containing fibers, resin and a syntactic layer comprising a polymer matrix and a plurality of hollow bodies distributed within the polymer matrix; ii. permitting the molding material to drape at least partly under the action of gravity within the mold so as to configure at least part of the draped molding material in a partly molded shape; iii. fully closing the mold tool to define a closed mold cavity containing the molding material; iv. applying pressure to the mold cavity to cause resin to flow and impregnate the fibers and to configure the molding material in a fully molded shape; and v. substantially fully curing the resin to form a molded part from the molding material.

Abstract: A method of press moulding a moulding material to form a moulded part of fiber-reinforced resin matrix composite material, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing a mould tool having a lower mould part and an upper mould part, the upper mould part having a first moulding surface for moulding a first moulded surface of the moulded part and the lower mould part having a second moulding surface for moulding a second moulded surface of the moulded part; ii. providing a multilaminar panel of moulding material comprising at least one layer of fibers and at least one layer of resin, the multilaminar panel having first and second opposite major surfaces, a surface resin layer of the multilaminar panel being at or adjacent to the first major surface and a dry fiber layer of the multilaminar panel forming the second major surface; iii.

Abstract: A method of press molding a molding material to form a molded part of fiber-reinforced resin matrix composite material, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing a mold tool having a lower mold part and an upper mold part, the upper mold part having a first molding surface for molding a first molded surface of the molded part and the lower mold part having a second molding surface for molding a second molded surface of the molded part; ii. providing a multilaminar panel of molding material comprising at least one layer of fibers and at least one layer of resin, the multilaminar panel having first and second opposite major surfaces; iii. locating the molding material in the mold tool; iv. progressively closing the mold tool to define a substantially closed mold cavity containing the molding material, the closing step including: a. a preliminary closing phase to achieve mutual engagement between the lower and upper mold parts, b.

Abstract: A method of press molding a molding material to form a molded part of fiber-reinforced resin matrix composite material, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing a mold tool having a lower mold part and an upper mold part, the upper mold part having a first molding surface for molding a first molded surface of the molded part and the lower mold part having a second molding surface for molding a second molded surface of the molded part; ii. providing a multilaminar panel of molding material comprising at least one layer of fibers and at least one layer of resin, the multilaminar panel having first and second opposite major surfaces, a surface resin layer of the multilaminar panel being at or adjacent to the first major surface; iii. locating the molding material in the mold tool; iv. closing the mold tool to define a substantially closed mold cavity containing the molding material, the closing step including the sub-steps of: a.

Abstract: A method of press molding a molding material to form a molded part of fiber-reinforced resin matrix composite material, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing a mold tool having a lower mold part and an upper mold part, the upper mold part having a first molding surface for molding a first molded surface of the molded part and the lower mold part having a second molding surface for molding a second molded surface of the molded part; ii. providing a multilaminar panel of molding material comprising at least one layer of dry fibers and at least one layer of resin, the multilaminar panel having first and second opposite major surfaces; iii. locating the molding material in the mold tool; iv. progressively closing the mold tool to define a substantially closed mold cavity containing the molding material, the closing step having: I. a first stage prior to both the first molding surface contacting the first major surface and the second molding surface contacting the second major surface and II.

Abstract: A method of press molding a molding material to form a molded part of fiber-reinforced resin matrix composite material, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing a mold tool having a lower mold part and an upper mold part, the upper mold part having a first molding surface for molding a first molded surface of the molded part and the lower mold part having a second molding surface for molding a second molded surface of the molded part; ii. providing a multilaminar panel of molding material comprising at least one layer of dry fibers and at least one layer of resin, the multilaminar panel having first and second opposite major surfaces; iii. locating the molding material in the mold tool; iv.

Abstract: A method of press moulding a moulding material to form a moulded part of fibre-reinforced resin matrix composite material, the method comprising the steps of: i. locating a moulding material in a mould tool, the moulding material containing fibres, resin and a syntactic layer comprising a polymer matrix and a plurality of hollow bodies distributed within the polymer matrix; ii. permitting the moulding material to drape at least partly under the action of gravity within the mould so as to configure at least part of the draped moulding material in a partly moulded shape; iii. fully closing the mould tool to define a closed mould cavity containing the moulding material; iv. applying pressure to the mould cavity to cause resin to flow and impregnate the fibres and to configure the moulding material in a fully moulded shape; and v. substantially fully curing the resin to form a moulded part from the moulding material.

Abstract: A method of press moulding a moulding material to form a moulded part of fibre-reinforced resin matrix composite material, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing a mould tool having a lower mould part and an upper mould part, the upper mould part having a first moulding surface for moulding a first moulded surface of the moulded part and the lower mould part having a second moulding surface for moulding a second moulded surface of the moulded part; ii. providing a multilaminar panel of moulding material comprising at least one layer of dry fibres and at least one layer of resin, the multilaminar panel having first and second opposite major surfaces; iii. locating the moulding material in the mould tool; iv. progressively closing the mould tool to define a substantially closed mould cavity containing the moulding material, the closing step having: I.

Abstract: A method of press moulding a moulding material to form a moulded part of fibre-reinforced resin matrix composite material, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing a mould tool having a lower mould part and an upper mould part, the upper mould part having a first moulding surface for moulding a first moulded surface of the moulded part and the lower mould part having a second moulding surface for moulding a second moulded surface of the moulded part; ii. providing a multilaminar panel of moulding material comprising at least one layer of fibres and at least one layer of resin, the multilaminar panel having first and second opposite major surfaces, a surface resin layer of the multilaminar panel being at or adjacent to the first major surface and a dry fibre layer of the multilaminar panel forming the second major surface; iii.

Abstract: A method of press moulding a moulding material to form a moulded part of fibre-reinforced resin matrix composite material, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing a mould tool having a lower mould part and an upper mould part, the upper mould part having a first moulding surface for moulding a first moulded surface of the moulded part and the lower mould part having a second moulding surface for moulding a second moulded surface of the moulded part; ii. providing a multilaminar panel of moulding material comprising at least one layer of dry fibres and at least one layer of resin, the multilaminar panel having first and second opposite major surfaces; iii. locating the moulding material in the mould tool; iv.

Abstract: A method of press moulding a moulding material to form a vehicle body panel of fibre-reinforced resin matrix composite material, the vehicle body panel having a front A-surface and a rear B-surface, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing a heated mould tool having a lower mould part and an upper mould part, the upper mould part having a first moulding surface for moulding a front A-surface of the vehicle body panel and the lower mould part having a second moulding surface for moulding a rear B-surface of the vehicle body panel; ii. providing a multilaminar panel of moulding material comprising at least one layer of fibres and at least one layer of resin, the multilaminar panel having first and second opposite major surfaces, a surface resin layer of the multilaminar panel being at or adjacent to the first major surface; iii. locating the moulding material in the mould tool; iv. closing the mould tool to define a substantially closed mould cavity containing the moulding material; v.

Abstract: A method of press moulding a moulding material to form a moulded part of fibre-reinforced resin matrix composite material, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing a mould tool having a lower mould part and an upper mould part, the upper mould part having a first moulding surface for moulding a first moulded surface of the moulded part and the lower mould part having a second moulding surface for moulding a second moulded surface of the moulded part; ii. providing a multilaminar panel of moulding material comprising at least one layer of fibres and at least one layer of resin, the multilaminar panel having first and second opposite major surfaces, a surface resin layer of the multilaminar panel being at or adjacent to the first major surface; iii. locating the moulding material in the mould tool; iv. closing the mould tool to define a substantially closed mould cavity containing the moulding material, the closing step including the sub-steps of: a.

Abstract: A method of press moulding a moulding material to form a moulded part of fibre-reinforced resin matrix composite material, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing a mould tool having a lower mould part and an upper mould part, the upper mould part having a first moulding surface for moulding a first moulded surface of the moulded part and the lower mould part having a second moulding surface for moulding a second moulded surface of the moulded part; ii. providing a multilaminar panel of moulding material comprising at least one layer of fibres and at least one layer of resin, the multilaminar panel having first and second opposite major surfaces; iii. locating the moulding material in the mould tool; iv. progressively closing the mould tool to define a substantially closed mould cavity containing the moulding material, the closing step including: a. a preliminary closing phase to achieve mutual engagement between the lower and upper mould parts, b.