Structural composite materials, processes, and systems

A compaction system, comprising:

• a mold assembly, comprising:
• a bottom wall spanning a plurality of areas of the mold assembly;
• one or more side walls coupled to the bottom wall;
• a mold cavity defined by the bottom wall and the one or more side walls and configured to contain a composite material;
• a plurality of pistons positioned within over the plurality of areas;
• a first piston of the plurality of pistons positioned over a first area of the plurality of areas of the mold assembly;
• a second piston adjacent to the first piston and positioned over a second area of the plurality of areas of the mold assembly, wherein the first piston and the second piston of the plurality of pistons are independently movable to reduce a volume of the mold cavity;
• an immobilized cover block positioned over a third area of the plurality of areas of the mold assembly and configured to constrain the composite material within the third area of the mold cavity;
• a plurality of fasteners configured to selectively immobilize the first piston and the second piston of the plurality of pistons, wherein a first fastener of the plurality of fasteners immobolizes the first piston in the initial position and a second fastener immobolizes the first piston in a second position when actuated;
• and
• a compression actuator configured to sequentially advance the first piston and the second piston of the plurality of pistons from an initial position to an actuated position to compress the composite material within the first area and the second area of the mold cavity.