Methods of joining and repairing composite components

A method for joining fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite components, the method comprising:

• providing a first fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite component and a second fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite component comprising a first joint portion and a second joint portion, respectively, at least a portion of a surface area of each of the first and second joint portions comprising a respective first and second mating surface;
• positioning the first and second mating surfaces of the respective first and second joint portions in contact with one another;
• consolidating the first and second joint portions with a press system;
• and
• joining the first and second joint portions by applying heat and pressure to the first and second joint portions with the press system,
• wherein the press system forms a first interface with a first surface of at least one of the first and second joint portions and a second interface with a second surface of at least one of the first and second joint portions opposite the first and second joint portions from the first interface and wherein the first and second surfaces are different than the first and second mating surfaces, and
• wherein joining the first and second joint portions comprises melting an entire volume of the first and second joint portions to form a fused unitary portion of the first and second fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite components.