Method and apparatus for forming three dimensional structural components from wood fiber

A method of making a three-dimensional object of wood fiber, said object comprising a substantially flat side and webs extending from the object at an angle to the flat side from the side thereof, opposite said flat side, comprising the steps of providing a first porous support, providing first mold inserts on said support, forming said mold inserts of resilient material, depositing wood fiber on said suppor around and on top of said mold inserts using a carrier fluid technique wherein said fibers are carried in a fluid and the fluid flows through the mat of fibers deposited on the mold inserts, permitting the mat of fibers to settle and the fluid to exit through the pores of said support due to gravity and/or pressure differential pressing the mat on the mold inserts and the support using a flat surfaced press member by applying a pressing force normal to said flat surfaced press member to compress said mold inserts and to squeeze out remaining carrier fluid used in said flow deposition stop, said compresser of said mold inserts causing said mold inserts to generate three-dimensional forming forces, thereby causing densification of said mat in directions parallel to and other than parallel to said pressing force, and removing the compressed object from said support and from said mold inserts.