PLY LOCKING FOR HONEYCOMB PANELS

A tool for forming a panel including a core area, at which plies sandwich a core, and a trim area surrounding the core, at which the plies are bonded together, is provided and includes a body having a surface on which the panel is formable, the surface including core and trim portions for respective correspondence with locations of the core and trim areas of the panel, a border between the core and trim portions defining a surface feature displaced from a plane of the core portion, a lock disposable proximate to the surface feature to increase a pre-bonding friction between the plies at the surface feature and an assembly to apply bonding pressure to the plies and the lock at least at the core and trim areas.