Methods and systems for forming reinforced composite articles having variable thickness corners

A method for manufacturing a composite part from a blank, the method comprising:

• positioning the blank between a convex die and a concave die,
• wherein the blank has a first outer ply contacting the concave die and oriented in a first direction, an intermediate ply oriented in a second direction, and a second outer ply contacting the convex die and oriented in a third direction,
• wherein the intermediate ply is disposed between the first outer ply and the second outer ply,
• wherein the second direction is different from the first direction and the third direction,
• wherein the intermediate ply is oriented with fibers generally parallel to a longitudinal direction in which an internal corner of the concave die and an external corner of the convex die extend, and
• wherein a radius of the internal corner that forms a corner of the composite part is less than a radius of the external corner that forms the corner of the composite part plus the thickness of a section of the composite part adjacent to the corner of the composite part;
• and
• pressing the blank between the convex die and concave die such that fibers of the intermediate ply migrate into the corner of the composite part to increase the thickness of a portion of the intermediate ply in the corner of the composite part and such that the thickness of a portion of the first outer ply in the corner of the composite part does not substantially change.

A method for manufacturing a composite part from a blank having a first outer ply, a second outer ply, and an intermediate ply in between the first outer ply and the second outer ply, the method comprising:

• positioning the blank between a convex die and a concave die, with the intermediate ply oriented with fibers generally parallel to a longitudinal direction in which an internal corner of the concave die extends,
• wherein the first outer ply and the second outer ply are oriented with fibers generally transverse to the longitudinal direction,
• wherein the convex die has an external corner that extends in the longitudinal direction and faces the internal corner of the concave die,
• wherein the convex die and the concave die are separated by a gap distance at straight portions of the convex die and the concave die adjacent to the internal and external corners, and
• wherein the internal corner of the concave die has a radius that is less than:
• a radius of the external corner of the convex die plus the gap distance;
• and
• pressing the blank between the convex die and the concave die such that fibers and resin of the intermediate ply migrate into a corner of the composite part created between the external corner of the convex die and the internal corner of the concave die, so as to provide the intermediate ply with an increased cross-sectional thickness at the corner of the composite part.