TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INSTRUMENTATION AND TESTING - Preferred Process: The process further comprises: providing one or more lay-ups comprising prepreg material; encapsulating each lay-up in a sacrificial bag and applying a vacuum; and placing the lay-ups together prior to step (ii), such that the sacrificial bag holds the prepreg material of each lay-up in place and melts on application of heat. The process further comprises: preparing at least one composite support means by (aa) providing one or more layers of prepreg material; (bb) providing one or more layers of foam material, where the layers are provided in an alternating manner to form a lay-up; and (cc) encapsulating the lay-up in a sacrificial bag and applying a vacuum; placing the spar on the lay-up of the first portion of the article on the tool, placing a sacrificial bag over the spar and the lay-up of the first portion, and applying a vacuum prior to step (d); and placing a vacuum bag adjacent each side of the spar prior to step (d). The tool is heated at 170-400 degrees C, preferably 170-210 degrees C.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Components: The composite support means comprises a spar. The sacrificial bag has a melting point lower than the processing temperature of the prepreg. The sacrificial bag comprises: low density polyethylene, polypropylene (PP), ethyl vinyl acetate and its copolymers; and a semicrystalline thermoplastic polymer with a melt temperature below 150 degrees C; and an amorphous thermoplastic polymer with a glass-transition temperature below 125 degrees C. The prepreg material comprises a thermoset or thermoplastic prepreg material comprising cyclic poly(1,4-butylene terephthalate) and glass fiber mat, epoxy and glass fiber or carbon fiber, and glass fiber reinforced (PP), polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate or polybutylene terephthalate. The tool comprises a ceramic body having many heating elements and at least one layer of a fiber reinforced polymer embedded within it.