Method for co-molding a thermoplastic material with a thermoplastic sandwich material

A method for co-molding a thermoplastic material with a thermoplastic sandwich material in a single mold to form a thermoplastic sandwich article having a thermoplastic composite inner portion, the method comprising:

• positioning a heated blank of thermoplastic sandwich material having a cellular core and outer skins over a female die having an article-defining cavity defined by inner surfaces of the female die;
• placing a predetermined amount of heated thermoplastic material on the blank of thermoplastic sandwich material wherein the predetermined amount of thermoplastic material is one of a blank, an extrusion and an injection and wherein the thermoplastic of the sandwich material and the thermoplastic of the thermoplastic material are polypropylene;
• forcing an inner portion of the thermoplastic material and the sandwich material into the female die along a substantially vertical axis and against the inner surfaces of the female die;
• crushing a peripheral edge portion of the sandwich material about the thermoplastic material;
• forcing the thermoplastic material and the sandwich material within the peripheral edge portion together at a temperature and a pressure sufficient to fuse the materials together in the single mold to form a thermoplastic composite inner portion of the sandwich material;
• removing the sandwich material with the thermoplastic composite inner portion from the female die;
• and
• removing any excess material from the periphery of the sandwich material to form the article.