Bonding panel core to fiber-reinforced thermoplastic skin(s)

A formation method, comprising:

• arranging a thermoplastic film on a cellular core, the thermoplastic film comprising thermoplastic material, the cellular core including a plurality of cavities and a plurality of sidewalls, each of the plurality of cavities extending vertically through the cellular core, and each laterally adjacent pair of the plurality of cavities separated by a respective one of the plurality of sidewalls;
• arranging a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic skin on the thermoplastic film with the thermoplastic film between the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic skin and the cellular core;
• arranging a plate on the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic skin with the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic skin between the plate and the thermoplastic film;
• and
• bonding the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic skin to the plurality of sidewalls using the thermoplastic material, the bonding including heating the plate using an induction coil to provide a heated plate, and heating the thermoplastic film to melt the thermoplastic material using the heated plate.

A formation method, comprising:

• arranging a cellular core, a film of thermoplastic resin and a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic skin in a stack with the film between the cellular core and the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic skin, the cellular core including a plurality of cavities and a plurality of sidewalls, each of the plurality of cavities extending vertically through the cellular core, and each laterally adjacent pair of the plurality of cavities separated by a respective one of the plurality of sidewalls;
• arranging a plate on the stack with the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic skin between the plate and the film;
• vacuum bagging the stack and the plate to preload the stack between the plate and a rigid support supporting the cellular core;
• and
• bonding the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic skin to the plurality of sidewalls using the thermoplastic resin, the bonding comprising heating the plate to melt the thermoplastic resin by way of conductive heating through the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic skin.