Recently, carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) composites have gained in interest over thermoset-based ones, particularly in the aerospace field, because of faster processing and the potentiality to weld and recycle parts. However, the manufacturing of these composites remain challenging as it requires several steps at high temperatures (above 350°C for PEKK (Poly-(ether ketone ketone)-based composites). The last processing step, consolidation, aims at heating and compressing highly-filled plies after lay-up. The goal is to reach a low void content composite (under 1% for the aerospace industry) in order to obtain the desired mechanical properties. To become an economically viable alternative, out-of-autoclave (OOA) consolidation such as Vacuum Bag Only (VBO) needs to be achieved. This work proposes to optimize process parameters involved in the consolidation of continuous CF/PEKK composites. It also deals with the comprehension of the influence of the physical phenomena involved in this step (intimate contact and healing, rheology of the composite, air and water diffusion, and crystallization of the matrix) and of the architectural parameters (fiber-matrix distribution, roughness, …). A quantitative characterization, through automatic image analyses based on optical microscopy and ILSS (Interlaminar shear strength) tests, is consequently of fundamental importance to evaluate the consolidation quality of such composites.