Method of manufacturing a sheet-like composite part with improved compression strength

A method of manufacturing a sheet-like composite part, comprising the following process steps:

• a) providing a substantially planar sandwich arrangement (A, B, A′) comprising a core layer (B) sandwiched between a pair of skin layers (A, A′), a first face of the core layer being adjacent and substantially parallel to a first one (A) of said skin layers and a second face of the core layer being adjacent and substantially parallel to the other one (A″) of said skin layers, the skin layers (A, A′) each comprising a skin thermoplastic and optionally reinforcement fibers, the core layer (B) comprising a fleece material made of fleece thermoplastic fibers and reinforcement fibers, wherein said fleece material is prepared with the fleece thermoplastic fibers and the reinforcement fibers in an airlaying or carding process,
• b) heating to melt the skin layers and pressing the sandwich arrangement (A,B,A′) followed by cooling, thereby obtaining the sheet-like composite part,
• wherein
• the core layer (B) is a Z-oriented core layer having the reinforcement fibers predominantly oriented in an orientation direction (Z) perpendicular to the first and second faces, and wherein the core layer (B) comprises a stacked plurality of continuously folded arrangements of said fleece material.