A method of forming a fiber-reinforced composite part includes forming a composite preform by extruding a hollow metal shape onto a fiber-reinforced preform at an extrusion temperature and cooling the hollow metal shape from the extrusion temperature to a temperature less than the extrusion temperature. Heat from the hollow metal shape cooling from the extrusion temperature is conducted into the fiber-reinforced preform for curing thereof. Also, thermal contraction of the hollow metal shape onto the fiber-reinforced preform applies a consolidation pressure on the fiber-reinforced preform for curing thereof. The fiber-reinforced preform may be a hollow fiber-reinforced preform and a die can be moved through the hollow fiber-reinforced preform such that consolidation pressure is applied thereto by a combination of the thermal contraction of the hollow metal shape onto the hollow fiber-reinforced preform and the die moving through the hollow fiber-reinforced preform.

A method of forming a fiber-reinforced composite part includes forming a composite preform by extruding a hollow metal shape onto a fiber-reinforced preform at an extrusion temperature and cooling the hollow metal shape from the extrusion temperature to a temperature less than the extrusion temperature. Heat from the hollow metal shape cooling from the extrusion temperature is conducted into the fiber-reinforced preform for curing thereof. Also, thermal contraction of the hollow metal shape onto the fiber-reinforced preform applies a consolidation pressure on the fiber-reinforced preform for curing thereof. The fiber-reinforced preform may be a hollow fiber-reinforced preform and a die can be moved through the hollow fiber-reinforced preform such that consolidation pressure is applied thereto by a combination of the thermal contraction of the hollow metal shape onto the hollow fiber-reinforced preform and the die moving through the hollow fiber-reinforced preform.