Thermoplastic composite parts having integrated metal fittings and method of making the same

A method of manufacturing composite laminates having metal fittings in a continuous process, comprising the steps of:

• (A) collating multiple plies of a thermoplastic composite material;
• (B) providing metal fittings for the laminates;
• (C) forming a plurality of lay-ups, each including the collated plies and at least one of the metal fittings;
• (D) preforming each of the lay-ups formed in step (C) into the approximate shape of the laminate;
• and
• (E) consolidating the plies and the metal fitting in the lay-ups by incrementally moving the lay-ups through a continuous compression molding press.

A thermoplastic laminate part having at least one integrated metal fitting, produced by a method comprising the steps of:

• (A) forming a plurality of lay-ups, each of the lay-ups including a tacked stack of multiple plies of thermoplastic material and at least one metal fitting;
• (B) placing a set of tooling over each of the lay-ups;
• (C) continuously moving the lay-ups through a preforming station;
• (D) preforming each of the lay-ups at the preforming station into the approximate shape of the part;
• (E) continuously moving the tooling with the preformed lay-ups through a press;
• and,
• (F) consolidating the plies in the lay-ups and the fittings by compressing successive sections of the tooling as the tooling moves through the press.