Shaped Composite Vehicle Skins and Method for High Rate Manufacturing of Same

A method of manufacturing a composite laminate comprising:

• providing a comingled felt comprising a plurality of carbon fibers and a thermoplastic polymer;
• forming the comingled felt into a preform shape;
• directing heat energy from a heating unit onto the comingled felt to melt the thermoplastic polymer;
• rolling the comingled felt with a compaction roller;
• and
• cooling the comingled felt to form a composite laminate.

A composite laminate manufactured by a process comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of carbon fiber filaments comingled with a plurality of thermoplastic polymer filaments to form a plurality of comingled fibers;
• chopping the plurality of comingled fibers with a fiber chopper unit mounted on a robot arm to form a plurality of chopped comingled fibers;
• spraying the plurality of chopped comingled fibers onto a preform mold;
• setting the plurality of chopped comingled fibers on the preform mold to form a comingled fiber preform;
• directing heat energy from a heating unit onto the comingled fiber preform to melt the thermoplastic polymer filaments;
• applying pressure to the comingled fiber preform to consolidate the comingled fiber preform;
• and
• cooling the comingled fiber preform to form a composite laminate.

A composite laminate manufactured by a process comprising the steps of:

• providing a comingled felt comprising a plurality of carbon fibers and a thermoplastic polymer;
• forming the comingled felt into a preform shape;
• directing heat energy from a heating unit onto the comingled felt to melt the thermoplastic polymer;
• rolling the comingled felt with a compaction roller;
• and
• cooling the comingled felt to form a composite laminate.