Process for manufacturing a composite panel

A process for manufacturing a composite panel (PC, PC′), said process comprising the following steps:

• a) providing at least one first ply (NP1, NP1′) of a woven or nonwoven dry material, said first ply defining a peripheral contour (CP, CP′);
• b) placing a structuring element (ES;
• EST, EF, ESR) inside the peripheral contour of said first ply, on at least one portion of this peripheral contour;
• then
• c1) either placing at least one second ply (NP2, NP′2) of a woven or nonwoven dry material, such that said second ply covers both the first ply and the structuring element;
• c2) or folding over at least one portion (PR) of the first ply (NP1, NP′1), this portion comprising the peripheral contour (CP), to cover the structuring element (ES), then placing a second ply (NP2, NP′2) of a woven or nonwoven dry material, such that said second ply (NP2, NP′2) covers the first ply (NP1, NP′1), but not the structuring element (ES);
• the structuring element being thus arranged at the end of step c1) or c2) in such a way to later define a peripheral contour of the composite panel;
• the stack thus formed at the end of step c1) or c2) already being either in a mould or outside of a mould and thus placed in said mould,
• d) injecting a thermoplastic or thermosetting resin into the mould, to impregnate the plies (NP1, NP′1;
• NP2, NP′2);
• and
• e) pressing the assembly into the mould to obtain the composite panel, said pressing step shaping the structuring element to be the peripheral contour of the composite panel.