Over-molded thermoplastic composite part having over-molded color and method of fabricating the same

A vehicle comprising:

• an exterior;
• an interior;
• and
• one or more over-molded thermoplastic composite parts, each of the one or more over-molded thermoplastic composite parts having an over-molded color, and each installed on one or more of, exterior portions of the exterior of the vehicle, and interior portions of the interior of the vehicle, and each of the one or more over-molded thermoplastic composite parts comprises:
• a consolidated thermoplastic composite laminate formed by a consolidation process, the consolidated thermoplastic composite laminate having a first side and a second side and comprised of a laminate polymer material;
• and
• an over-mold layer over-molded, via an injection molding process, over the first side of the consolidated thermoplastic composite laminate, the over-mold layer comprising an over-mold mixture comprised of an over-mold polymer material mixed with one or more additives, the one or more additives comprising at least a color additive to impart a color to the consolidated thermoplastic composite laminate during the injection molding process, and the over-mold polymer material having a melting temperature that is greater than, or equal to, a melting temperature of the laminate polymer material, and the melting temperature of the over-mold polymer material being less than a thermal degradation temperature of the laminate polymer material,
• wherein the injection molding process results in each of the one or more over-molded thermoplastic composite parts having the over-molded color, having a final net shape, and requiring no finishing operations.

A method of fabricating an over-molded thermoplastic composite part having an over-molded color, the method comprising the steps of:

• forming a consolidated thermoplastic composite laminate using a consolidation process, the consolidated thermoplastic composite laminate having a first side and a second side and comprised of a laminate polymer material;
• over-molding an over-mold layer over the first side of the consolidated thermoplastic composite laminate, using an over-molding process, the over-mold layer comprising an over-mold mixture comprised of an over-mold polymer material mixed with one or more additives, the one or more additives comprising at least a color additive to impart color to the consolidated thermoplastic composite laminate during the over-molding process, and the over-mold polymer material having a melting temperature that is greater than, or equal to, a melting temperature of the laminate polymer material, and the melting temperature of the over-mold polymer material being less than a thermal degradation temperature of the laminate polymer material;
• and
• obtaining the over-molded thermoplastic composite part having the over-molded color, having a final net shape, and requiring no finishing operations.