Updated on September 23, 2026 4 min read
Automated fiber placement (AFP) has traditionally been associated with one goal:
placing composite fibers faster.
But the latest AFP installation at the McNAIR Center for Aerospace Innovation and Research at the University of South Carolina highlights another direction the technology is moving toward:
flexibility.
The center has installed a Mikrosam Libra Multifunctional Robotic System at its 42,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing facility in Columbia, South Carolina.
The system combines an 8-tow, ¼-inch AFP head with laser and infrared heating, mounted on a KUKA Titan L750 robot operating on a 10.6-meter linear rail.
On paper, those specifications are impressive.
But the more interesting part is not the size of the robot.
It is what the platform is designed to become.
AFP Is Becoming More Than a Layup Machine
The McNAIR Center says the Mikrosam system can process thermoset prepreg, thermoplastic materials and dry fiber systems.
It can also integrate different end effectors for applications beyond AFP, including thermoplastic welding and automated inspection.
This changes how I look at the investment.
It is not simply another fiber-placement cell.
It is closer to a reconfigurable composites manufacturing platform.
That matters because the composites industry is entering a period where manufacturers are experimenting with different material systems.
Thermoset composites remain dominant in many aerospace structures.
But thermoplastics are attracting attention because of their potential for faster processing, welding capability and reduced manufacturing steps.
Dry fiber technologies are also gaining interest for applications where resin infusion or automated preforming can provide production advantages.
A machine that can support all three approaches gives researchers and manufacturers more freedom to compare processes without rebuilding the entire production environment.
The Real Challenge Is Moving Beyond Demonstration
One of the biggest challenges in advanced composites is not proving that a material works.
It is moving from a successful demonstration into a repeatable manufacturing process.
The Mikrosam system includes closed-loop monitoring of parameters such as temperature, compaction pressure, placement speed and material usage.
For composite manufacturing, this type of process data is becoming increasingly important.
Unlike metals, composite properties depend heavily on how the material is processed.
Small variations in temperature, pressure or fiber placement can influence final performance.
The ability to capture manufacturing data therefore becomes part of the material qualification process.
In future composite factories, the machine may not only place fibers.
It may also create the evidence needed to prove that every part was manufactured correctly.
Why This Matters for Thermoplastic Composites
The McNAIR Center specifically highlights interest in high-rate thermoplastic composite production and large-scale structures.
This is an area where AFP could become increasingly important.
Thermoplastic composites have long promised faster manufacturing compared with traditional thermoset systems, but industrial adoption requires solving several challenges:
material handling,
heating control,
consolidation quality,
repeatability,
and integration with existing manufacturing systems.
Laser and infrared heating technologies are particularly interesting because they allow localized energy input during placement.
The goal is not simply to heat the material.
It is to deliver enough energy at the right location and timing to achieve reliable bonding while maintaining production speed.
That process control will likely determine whether thermoplastic AFP moves from specialized applications into broader industrial production.
What I See Next
The composite industry has spent years improving individual technologies:
better fibers,
better resins,
better machines.
The next step may be connecting these technologies into more adaptable manufacturing systems.
The future composite factory may not have separate equipment for every material system.
Instead, it may rely on flexible robotic platforms that can switch between materials, tooling concepts and processes depending on the application.
McNAIR’s Mikrosam installation is still a research and collaboration platform, not proof that all future composite production will follow this model.
But it reflects an important shift.
The question is gradually changing from:
“How fast can we place fiber?”
to:
“How quickly can we develop, validate and manufacture the next composite structure?”
That may become one of the biggest competitive advantages in advanced composites manufacturing.
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.
About Bruce Zhou