Staggered bevel for continuous compression molding tooling dies

A method for fabricating a thermoplastic composite part, the method comprising:

• pre-forming a thermoplastic composite material blank into a pre-formed laminate;
• providing a die press defined by opposed outer side edges extending between opposed entry and exit sides of the die press, the die press having upper and lower tooling dies having complementary contoured surfaces defining a space therebetween extending from the entry to exit sides, a cross-sectional configuration of the space including two or more bends forming three or more segments defining the width of said space extending between the outer side edges, the upper and lower tooling dies comprising a staggered bevel at an incoming edge thereof at the entry side, and the bevel comprising a taper portion having a length which is staggered along the width of the space at the incoming edge to be incrementally larger for segments of the three or more segments positioned successively closer to the outer side edges than for segments of the three or more segments positioned further inward from the outer edges;
• and
• feeding the pre-formed laminate through the entry and into said space to consolidate the pre-formed laminate between the upper and lower tooling dies, the staggered bevel preventing the pre-formed laminate from wrinkling.