I think I wanna start playing with some compression molded prepreg parts using aluminum molds. I've already done a couple using wet layup. The male and female mold had calculated offset figured between them based on lay up thickness. Worked out great. One of them was a cap shape that had vertical walls around the outside, so those areas had to completely squeeze down the wall thickness as the male mold was being pushed into the female mold. Didn't seem to be an issue with wet lay up. Here's a pic of the molds and finished part.



Question is, how would something similar to this work out with prepreg? Can it squeeze down to final thickness before curing begins? Wouldn't be a big deal to design the male mold with a slight wall taper to make it a bit easier, but I'm just not sure how uncured prepreg behaves. Aside from dealing with parallel vertical walls, I'm also curious how a more simple part needs to be compressed. I can design molds to bolt together before curing, but can it be clamped to final thickness and stay there? Or does some of this need to happen while curing? Like start to heat and then keep tightening bolts? Or can it fully consolidate before starting cure? Maybe just slight warming while bolting molds together? Just not sure what is the best method here.