Molded stressed-skin panels

A method for making molded panels comprising a sheet having a plurality of ribs and flanges extending therefrom to form an open cell grid, said method comprising:

• providing a porous screen to permit expulsion of fluid therethrough;
• providing a plurality of elastomeric pads spaced apart on said screen to serve as molds for forming the open cells of said grid, each of said pads having a base portion and a body portion above said base, said base having a width greater than or equal to the width of the body, said pads having a height to base width ratio of from about 0.85 to 2.0.
• depositing said material dispersed in fluid onto said screen and around said pads;
• and
• consolidating said deposited material and fluid around said pads by compressing said pads to deform them in a direction substantially parallel to said screen, said pads being deformed so that they overhang said screen;
• whereby said material is consolidated between said pads and under said overhangs to form on a surface of said panel ribs substantially normal to said surface and having flanges substantially parallel to said surface and across said ribs to form an open grid cell on said panel.

A method for making molded panels comprising a sheet having a plurality of ribs and flanges extending therefrom to form an open cell grid, said method comprising:

• providing a porous screen to permit expulsion of fluid therethrough;
• providing a plurality of elastomeric pads spaced apart on said screen to serve as molds for forming the open cells of said grid, each of said pads having sides being substantially concave and extending generally towards each other;
• depositing said material dispersed in fluid onto said screen and around said pads;
• and
• consolidating said deposited material and fluid around said pads by compressing said pads to deform them in a direction substantially parallel to said screen, to form overhangs between said pads and said screen;
• whereby said material is consolidated between said pads and under said overhangs to form on a surface of said panel ribs substantially normal to said surface and flanges substantially parallel to said surface and across said ribs to form an open grid cell on said panel.

A method for making molded panels comprising a sheet having a plurality of ribs and flanges extending therefrom to form an open cell grid, said method comprising:

• providing a porous screen to permit expulsion of fluid therethrough;
• providing a plurality of elastomeric pads spaced apart on said screen to serve as molds for forming the open cells of said grid, each of said pads having a base portion and a body portion above said base, said base having a width greater than or equal to the width of the body, said pads being formed from at least two layers:
• a first base layer formed of a first elastic material and an upper layer formed of a second elastic material, said first elastic material being less elastic than the second elastic material,
• depositing said material dispersed in fluid onto said screen and around said pads;
• and
• consolidating said deposited material and fluid around said pads by compressing said pads to deform them in a direction substantially parallel to said screen, said pads being deformed so that they overhang said screen;
• whereby said material is consolidated between said pads and under said overhangs to form on a surface of said panel ribs substantially normal to said surface and having flanges substantially parallel to said surface and across said ribs to form an open grid cell on said panel.