Method of fabricating a low total density, stabilized ramped honeycomb core for high pressure co-cure composite molding

A method for fabricating a low total density, stabilized ramped honeycomb core for high pressure co-cure molding of a lightweight honeycomb core composite article, comprising the steps of:

• providing a honeycomb core material having upper and lower major surfaces;
• applying a layer of low areal weight film adhesive in a picture frame format to the upper and lower surfaces of the honeycomb core material to provide a stabilized honeycomb core material;
• machining at least one ramped surface in the stabilized honeycomb core material to provide a stabilized honeycomb core;
• and
• applying a layer of low areal weight film adhesive to the upper and lower surfaces and each ramped surface of the ramped honeycomb core to form the low total density, stabilized ramped honeycomb core for the high pressure co-cure molding of a lightweight honeycomb core composite article.