According to one embodiment of the invention, a co-cured vacuum-assisted
resin transfer molding manufacturing method includes providing a tool
base, disposing a prepreg skin panel outwardly from the tool base,
disposing one or more tooling details outwardly from the prepreg skin
panel, and disposing one or more preforms proximate the one or more
tooling details. The one or more preforms are either dry or binderized.
The method further includes disposing a high permeability medium between
the one or more tooling details and the one or more preforms, enclosing
the prepreg skin panel, the one or more tooling details, the one or more
preforms, and the high permeability medium with at least one vacuum bag,
pulling a vacuum on the vacuum bag, infusing the one or more preforms
with a resin, and curing the one or more preforms and the prepreg skin
panel.