Method of making building panels with support members extending partially through the panels

A method of manufacturing a building panel for use in building a residential or commercial structure off-site at a manufacturing location that is geographically separate from an assembly location where the building panel is incorporated into the residential or commercial structure, said method comprising:

• assembling a plurality of panel forms to form a panel mold having a hollow cavity within the panel mold, an overall size and shape of the hollow cavity substantially defining an overall size and shape of the building panel, a width of the hollow cavity and a height of the hollow cavity substantially defining a width of the building panel and a height of the building panel, respectively;
• providing a first metal sheet;
• bending the first metal sheet to form a first T-shaped support member having a length that is substantially the same as a length of the first metal sheet, wherein bending the first metal sheet to form the first T-shaped support member consists of:
• bending the first metal sheet by substantially 90 degrees across the length of the first metal sheet to form a first portion of the first metal sheet and a second portion of the first metal sheet that is substantially perpendicular to the first portion of the first metal sheet, a length of the first portion of the first metal sheet less than the width of the hollow cavity;
• bending the second portion of the first metal sheet by substantially 180 degrees across the length of the first metal sheet to form a third portion of the first metal sheet that is substantially parallel to the second portion of the first metal sheet;
• and
• bending the third portion of the first metal sheet by substantially 180 degrees across the length of the first metal sheet to form a fourth portion of the first metal sheet such that the fourth portion of the first metal sheet is parallel to the third portion of the first metal sheet, and such that an end of the first metal sheet lies proximate to where the first metal sheet was bent by substantially 90 degrees across the length of the first metal sheet to form the first portion of the first metal sheet and the second portion of the first metal sheet;
• disposing the first T-shaped support member within the hollow cavity such that the length of the first T-shaped support member is substantially parallel to the height of the hollow cavity, such that the third portion of the first metal sheet substantially abuts an interior surface of the panel mold, and such that the first portion of the first metal sheet is substantially parallel to the width of the panel mold;
• providing a second metal sheet to form a planar support member having a length that is substantially the same as a length of the second metal sheet;
• disposing the planar support member within the hollow cavity such that the length of the planar support member is substantially parallel to the height of the hollow cavity, such that the planar support member does not contact the interior surface of the panel mold, and such that the planar support member forms a first angle with the interior surface of the panel mold, wherein the first angle is not a right angle;
• filling an unoccupied space in the hollow cavity of the panel mold with a semi-fluid insulating material;
• and
• solidifying the semi-fluid insulating material to form an insulating material that surrounds and encases at least the first T-shaped support member and the planar support member.