Methods for consolidating fiber-reinforced resin material

A method of consolidating an ingot of fiber-reinforced resin material, the method comprising steps of:

• accessing an apparatus for consolidating the ingot, wherein the apparatus comprises:
• a housing, comprising:
• a barrel, having a symmetry axis;
• a receptacle, comprising:
• a base, extending from the barrel along the symmetry axis and comprising a tapered base-end, opposite the barrel along the symmetry axis;
• a lid, coupled to the base and selectively positionable relative to the base of the receptacle and relative to the barrel of the housing such that the housing is in an open state or in a closed state and comprising a tapered lid-end, opposite the barrel along the symmetry axis such that with the housing in the closed state, the tapered base-end and the tapered lid-end collectively form a tapered receptacle-end of the receptacle;
• and
• a de-gassing port, located on the tapered receptacle-end of the receptable and configured to be selectively open or selectively closed;
• a gasket that is in contact with the lid of the receptacle, the base of the receptacle, and the barrel when the housing is in the closed state;
• a piston, movable along the symmetry axis between, inclusively, a retracted position, in which the piston, in its entirety, is in the barrel, and an extended position, in which a portion of the piston is in the receptacle and another portion of the piston is in the barrel;
• a seal, which is in contact with the piston and the barrel;
• and
• a piston drive, configured to selectively control movement of the piston between the retracted position and the extended position;
• positioning the housing in the open state such that the lid of the receptacle is not in contact with a portion of the gasket, which is in contact with both the lid and the barrel when the housing is in the closed state;
• with the housing in the open state, positioning the ingot in the base of the receptacle;
• with the de-gassing port selectively closed, positioning the housing in the closed state such that the housing and the piston form a closed, hermetically sealed chamber around the ingot that is hermetically sealed via the gasket and the seal;
• heating the ingot to a predetermined temperature above room temperature;
• applying a vacuum to the ingot in the hermetically sealed chamber;
• and
• applying a force to the ingot in the hermetically sealed chamber while applying the vacuum to the ingot.