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

A formation method, comprising:

• arranging a thermoplastic film on a thermoplastic skin, the thermoplastic film comprising a thermoplastic material;
• moving a heating device to locate the heating device along the thermoplastic film, wherein the thermoplastic film is disposed between the thermoplastic skin and the heating device;
• heating the thermoplastic film with the heating device to provide a melted thermoplastic film;
• moving the heating device away from the melted thermoplastic film;
• and
• pressing a cellular core against the melted thermoplastic film to bond a plurality of sidewalls of the cellular core to the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic skin with the thermoplastic material, the cellular core including a plurality of cavities and the 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.

A formation method, comprising:

• arranging a cellular core on a core support, 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 thermoplastic skin on a skin support;
• arranging a thermoplastic film comprising thermoplastic material on the thermoplastic skin;
• heating the thermoplastic film to provide a melted thermoplastic film;
• and
• moving at least one of the core support or the skin support to press the cellular core against the melted thermoplastic film and to bond one or more of the plurality of sidewalls to the thermoplastic skin through the thermoplastic material, wherein the moving comprises at least one of rotating the core support or rotating the skin support.