Method and apparatus for making sheets of composite material

Abstract

A product sheet of composite material can be made by disposing composite materials of composite material in adjacent (side-by-side) relation with each other. The composite materials comprise fibers in a thermoplastic matrix material. The adjacent composite materials are bonded together to provide a product sheet of composite material. Preferably, a cross ply of composite material is disposed on the composite materials. The cross ply may be a unidirectional sheet and the fibers in the cross ply may be disposed in transverse relation to the fibers in the composite materials.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for making a composite laminate, comprising:
 positioning a plurality of lengths of composite material in adjacent relation to each other;   tacking together the lengths of composite material;   heating the lengths of composite material;   passing the heated lengths of composite material through a calender roll assembly to yield the composite laminate; and   collecting the composite laminate.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein tacking together the lengths of composite material comprises applying a cross-ply across the lengths of composite material.