Method and article for an improved compression-molding process

An assemblage of feed constituents for use in conjunction with a compression mold for compression-molding a fiber-composite part, the assemblage comprising:

• a plurality of fiber bundle (FB) preforms, each consisting essentially of a plurality of co-aligned, resin-infused fibers, and having a filamentous form with a substantially circular or oval cross section, and wherein a length of the fibers in each FB preform is at least 5 millimeters;
• and
• a plurality of very-short-fiber (VSF) constituents having a filamentous form, each consisting essentially of a plurality of resin-infused milled and/or chopped fibers, both less than about 1 millimeter in length, a length and a diameter of at least some of the VSF constituents is substantially the same as a length and a diameter of at least some of the FB preforms;
• wherein the plurality of FB preforms and the plurality of VSF constituents are organized into an assemblage, wherein some of the VSF constituents are positioned in the assemblage so that:
• (a) when the assemblage is placed in a mold cavity of the compression mold, a long axis of each of said some VSF constituents is substantially parallel to respective edges of the compression mold that form, after compression molding, parting lines of the fiber-composite part, such that an orientation of the long axis of said some VSF constituents when in the mold cavity corresponds to an orientation of the parting lines appearing on the fiber-composite part;
• and
• (b) after compression molding of the assemblage, the fibers from said some VSF constituents, as integrated into the fiber-composite part, are proximal to the parting lines.