Updated on August 13, 2026 • 4 min read
The Clemson Composites Center (CCC) has commissioned a new automated fiber placement capability at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR), expanding its research infrastructure for advanced composite manufacturing.
At the center of the new climate-controlled laboratory is an AFP-X cell from AddComposites, equipped with a four-tow automated fiber placement head and manipulated by a six-axis industrial robot from KUKA.
The system can place ¼-inch slit composite tape over complex geometries and will support research spanning process optimization, automated inspection, digital twins and smart manufacturing.
Four-Tow AFP Expands Clemson’s Research Capability
Automated fiber placement enables narrow composite tapes to be deposited along programmed paths to manufacture complex laminate structures.
CCC’s new system uses a four-tow AFP head, giving researchers the ability to control multiple material tows during deposition.
The AFP head is mounted on a six-axis KUKA robot, providing the movement flexibility required to investigate fiber placement over non-flat and geometrically complex surfaces.
Housing the equipment in a climate-controlled laboratory also provides a controlled environment for experimental AFP work where researchers need to understand relationships between material, equipment settings and final laminate quality.
Connecting Design, Manufacturing and Inspection
One of CCC’s primary objectives is to address gaps between the different stages of automated composites production.
The center plans to use the AFP-X platform for collaborative industrial and academic projects covering design, process planning, manufacturing and inspection.
Rather than studying fiber deposition as an isolated manufacturing operation, researchers can investigate how decisions made during design and process planning affect placement and subsequent inspection results.
This creates opportunities to develop more integrated AFP workflows.
Digital Twins Become a Major Research Focus
Smart manufacturing — particularly digital twinning — will form a significant part of the research conducted with the new system.
The AFP platform supports integration with both open-source and commercial tools for collecting and analyzing manufacturing data.
This capability can enable researchers to connect information generated during physical fiber placement with corresponding digital models.
The objective is to improve understanding of the manufacturing process and investigate how data can be used across different stages of composite production.
Automated Inspection Joins the AFP Workflow
Automated inspection is another research area planned for the facility.
AFP manufacturing requires control over material placement and identification of potential deposition anomalies. Bringing manufacturing data and inspection into a connected research environment allows CCC to study how defects or process variations can be identified and related back to the manufacturing process.
The new cell will therefore serve as more than an AFP deposition platform. It provides an experimental environment for studying the broader digital manufacturing chain surrounding automated composites production.
Training the Next AFP Workforce
CCC also plans to use the equipment for workforce development.
Students will gain practical experience with industrial-scale robotic automation and automated composites manufacturing while working alongside the center’s industry partners.
That provides exposure not only to composite materials but also to robotics, manufacturing data, inspection and process engineering.
CCC director Ramy Harik says the facility will support the center’s work on what its research team considers the major remaining challenges in AFP while helping prepare engineers for careers in advanced manufacturing.
With the four-tow AFP-X cell now operational, Clemson is positioning the facility as a platform for investigating how automation, inspection and digital manufacturing can be integrated more closely throughout the automated fiber placement process.
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This article is developed based on real engineering experience, machine testing data, and practical production knowledge from Jota Machinery’s work in advanced composite manufacturing.
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Bruce Zhou is the Founder of Jota Machinery, where he leads the development of equipment for flexible packaging and advanced composite materials. With experience in composite processing since 2011, his work is centered on practical engineering, product reliability, and building long-term value for manufacturing customers worldwide.
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