Methods and Systems for Manufacturing Composite Parts with Female Tools

A tooling system for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin part, the tooling system comprising:

• a tool having a female mold surface configured to support a plurality of fibers, the female mold surface having a first interior transition region spaced apart from a second interior transition region;
• and
• a tooling aid configured to cooperate with the tool, the tooling aid having:
• a support member;
• a first pressing device carried by the support member and configured to move outwardly away from the support member to compress a first portion of the fibers between the first pressing device and the first interior transition region;
• and
• a second pressing device carried by the support member and configured to move outwardly away from the support member to compress a second portion of the fibers between the second pressing device and the second interior transition region.

A system for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin part, the system comprising:

• means for positioning a plurality of fibers in the shape of the fiber-reinforced resin part;
• means for covering the plurality of fibers with a sealing layer;
• means, separate from the means for covering, for pressing a portion of the plurality of fibers against an interior transition region of the means for positioning;
• and
• means for drawing at least a partial vacuum between the means for covering and the means for positioning while pressing the portion of fibers against the interior transition region.