Consolidation of thermoplastic panels

In a process for consolidating a fibrous reinforcement with a thermoplastic resin to form a sheet containing the fibrous reinforcement in a continuous thermoplastic matrix, wherein a mixture of fibrous reinforcement and thermoplastic resin in the form of at least one flat prepreg sheet is positioned between a pair of first caul plates which are in turn positioned between a pair of platens which are urged together with sufficient force to consolidate the mixture of fibrous reinforcement and thermoplastic resin to form the sheet containing the fibrous reinforcement in the continuous thermoplastic matrix, the improvement comprising:

• positioning a first resilient pad, having a thickness within the range of about 0.1 to about 10 millimeters, and a third caul plate between one of the first caul plates and one of the platens so as to have on at least one side of said mixture the sequence:
• platen, caul plate, resilient pad and caul plate, prior to urging the platens together.