Method of molding composite objects

A method for molding a composite shell, the method comprising:

• applying an adhesive to surfaces of a metal liner to be covered by a surround of the composite shell;
• heating the metal liner with the adhesive thereon;
• placing the heated metal liner in a mold so that a surface of a protrusion of the metal liner abuts an interior surface of the mold so that the surface of the protrusion remains uncovered by the surround;
• injecting a plastic in a molten state into the mold so that the plastic surrounds the metal liner to form the surround and thereby the composite shell, the plastic flowing into a plurality of channels disposed in an exterior surface of the metal liner to reduce slippage and delamination between the metal liner and the surround when the plastic solidifies, the plastic flowing into a plurality of continuous slots around a perimeter of the protrusion so that when the plastic solidifies, a plurality of plastic ribs extend into the plurality of continuous slots around the perimeter to form a pressure seal between the metal liner and the surround;
• removing the composite shell from the mold, wherein the protrusion of the liner extends through the surround so that the surface of the protrusion is substantially flush with an exterior surface of the surround;
• and
• stabilizing the composite shell until dimensions of the composite shell stop changing.

A method for molding a composite shell, the method comprising:

• applying an adhesive to surfaces of a pair of aluminum liners to be covered by a surround of the composite shell;
• heating the pair of aluminum liners with the adhesive thereon;
• placing the heated pair of aluminum liners in a mold so that a surface of a protrusion of each of the pair of aluminum liners abuts an interior surface of the mold so that the surface of the protrusion remains uncovered by the surround;
• injecting glass-filled nylon in a molten state into the mold so that the glass-filled nylon material surrounds the pair of aluminum liners to form the surround and thereby the composite shell, the glass-filled nylon flowing into a plurality of channels disposed in an exterior surface of each of the aluminum liners to reduce slippage and de-lamination between the aluminum liners and the surround when the glass-filled nylon solidifies, the glass-filled nylon flowing into a plurality of continuous slots around a perimeter of the protrusion so that when the glass-filled nylon solidifies, a plurality of glass-filled nylon ribs extend into the plurality of continuous slots around the perimeter to form a pressure seal between the metal liner and the surround;
• removing the composite shell from the mold, wherein the protrusion of each of the pair of aluminum liners extends through the surround so that the surface of the protrusion is substantially flush with an exterior surface of the surround;
• and
• stabilizing the composite shell until dimensions of the composite shell stop changing.

A method for molding a composite shell, the method comprising:

• applying an adhesive to surfaces of a metal liner to be covered by a surround of the composite shell;
• heating the metal liner with the cured adhesive thereon;
• placing the heated metal liner in a mold so that a surface of a protrusion of the metal liner abuts an interior surface of the mold so that the surface of the protrusion remains uncovered by the surround;
• injecting a plastic in a molten state into the mold so that the plastic surrounds the metal liner to form the surround and thereby the composite shell, the plastic flowing into a plurality of channels disposed in an exterior surface of the metal liner to reduce slippage and de-lamination between the metal liner and the surround when the plastic solidifies, the plastic flowing into a plurality of continuous slots around a perimeter of the protrusion so that when the plastic solidifies, a plurality of plastic ribs extend into the plurality of continuous slots around the perimeter to form a pressure seal between the metal liner and the surround;
• wherein heating the metal liner comprises heating the metal liner independent of injecting the plastic in a molten state into the mold so that the plastic surrounds the metal liner;
• and
• stabilizing the composite shell until dimensions of the composite shell stop changing.