Vacuum molding of thermoset sheet articles

A process of compression molding an automotive body part article from a sheet molding composition (SMC), comprising:

• opening a mold to an open position, said mold having an upper die having an upper mold surface and a lower die having a lower mold surface that upon full compression define a mold cavity complementary to the article;
• placing the SMC as a multiple ply charge on one of the lower mold surface or the upper mold surface;
• rapidly closing the upper die and the lower die from the open position to an intermediate start position of 5 to 10 cm at a rate of from 1 to 5 cm/sec;
• slowly closing the upper die and the lower die from the intermediate start position to a start position at a rate of between 25 and 50% of the rate of closure to the intermediate position and simultaneously initiating a vacuum to evacuate the mold cavity to a reduced pressure of less than 0.16 atmospheres (16.2 kPa);
• maintaining the vacuum on the mold cavity for at least a total of 3 seconds while continuing to press the upper die and the lower die toward a volume of the mold cavity at a rate of between 12 and 30% of the rate of closure to the intermediate start;
• removing the reduced pressure when the upper die and the lower die are within 1 centimeter of the volume of the mold cavity;
• allowing the curable resin to cure in the mold cavity;
• and
• opening the mold cavity and removing the article.