Mikrosam Expands AFP Systems for Scalable Composite Manufacturing

Updated on August 13, 2026 • 5 min read

Automated fiber placement has long been associated with high-end aerospace programs.

But the next stage of AFP growth may depend on making the technology more practical, modular and accessible for a wider range of composite manufacturers.

Mikrosam, based in Prilep, North Macedonia, is positioning its automated fiber placement systems, prepreg slitting and rewinding equipment, and automated filament winding solutions around this challenge.

With more than 35 years of experience in composites manufacturing automation, the company provides systems covering material preparation, conversion, part manufacturing and digital process control.

Making AFP More Practical

Mikrosam’s next-generation AFP systems are designed as modular and scalable platforms.

They support thermoset materials, thermoplastic materials and dry fiber, with tape widths ranging from ¼ inch and ½ inch up to 2 inches.

The systems are available as robotic cells, low-rail gantry systems and high-rail gantry platforms, depending on component size, geometry and production environment.

This flexibility enables the technology to serve different manufacturing environments, from research and prototyping to industrial production.

Optional in-situ consolidation is also available for applications requiring consolidation during material placement.

Different AFP Architectures for Different Parts

Composite components vary considerably in size and geometry, making machine configuration an important part of AFP implementation.

Mikrosam addresses this through several platform architectures.

Robotic cells provide flexible movement around complex components, while rail-based gantry configurations can accommodate different manufacturing envelopes and production requirements.

The company’s AFP technology is used by organizations including the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University, Qarbon Aerospace, the McNAIR Center for Aerospace Innovation and Research at the University of South Carolina and GKN Fokker.

These installations span research and industrial composite manufacturing environments.

Prepreg Slitting Moves Material Preparation In-House

AFP productivity depends not only on the placement machine but also on the availability and consistency of the incoming material.

Mikrosam therefore supplies prepreg slitting and rewinding systems that convert wide master rolls into narrow tapes suitable for AFP and automated tape laying.

The equipment provides reported slit-width accuracy of ±0.125 millimeter.

For manufacturers, bringing prepreg conversion in-house can provide greater control over tape dimensions, material availability and production scheduling.

It can also support development programs where multiple materials or tape formats need to be evaluated without relying entirely on externally converted material.

Integrated tension control, inspection and traceability are designed to maintain repeatable processing during both development and production.

Connecting Slitting With Automated Fiber Placement

The combination of slitting and AFP is particularly relevant as manufacturers experiment with new composite material systems.

Instead of treating material conversion and placement as completely separate processes, an integrated production strategy allows manufacturers to prepare AFP tapes according to specific machine and application requirements.

This can be useful when qualifying new prepregs or changing tape dimensions for different component geometries.

It also illustrates how AFP industrialization extends beyond the deposition head itself.

Material preparation, tape quality, tension control, inspection and traceability all influence the stability of the final placement process.

Automated Filament Winding Extends the Production Portfolio

Mikrosam’s composites automation portfolio also includes automated filament winding systems.

These include multi-spindle machines intended for pipes and other small-diameter composite products.

An automatic cut-and-restart system can further automate repetitive winding operations.

For higher-volume production environments, Mikrosam integrates SCADA and manufacturing historian systems to collect and manage process information.

This provides manufacturers with production data that can be used for process monitoring, traceability and quality management.

From Individual Machines to an Integrated Composite Process

One of the more notable aspects of Mikrosam’s approach is the connection between different stages of composite manufacturing.

A production operation can begin with a wide prepreg master roll, convert that material into accurately slit AFP or ATL tapes and subsequently place those tapes using automated equipment.

Filament winding provides another automated manufacturing route for rotational composite structures.

Digital process control and production data management can then connect these manufacturing stages.

This moves the discussion around composites automation beyond the performance of an individual machine.

AFP Industrialization Depends on the Entire Process Chain

AFP continues to expand beyond its traditional role in large aerospace structures, but wider adoption requires more than faster fiber placement.

Manufacturers must also manage material formats, process repeatability, inspection, traceability and production economics.

Mikrosam’s combination of AFP, prepreg slitting and rewinding, filament winding and digital manufacturing control demonstrates how equipment suppliers are addressing these requirements as part of a broader production system.

For composite manufacturers evaluating automation, this integrated approach highlights an important point: the productivity of an AFP cell ultimately depends on the processes surrounding it.

As automated composites manufacturing develops, controlling the complete route from incoming material to finished structure may become increasingly important for moving AFP from specialized applications toward broader industrial production.

🔒 Content Transparency & Editorial Integrity

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.

All technical explanations—including material structure, processing methods, and performance characteristics—are reviewed and verified by our engineering team to ensure accuracy and real-world relevance.

To improve clarity and structure, AI-assisted tools may have been used during content organization and language refinement. However:

• All key technical insights originate from first-hand industrial experience
• All data and claims are manually reviewed and validated
• The content is created with the primary goal of educating engineers, manufacturers, and buyers

We do not publish content solely for search ranking purposes. Every article is designed to provide practical, experience-based value to professionals in the composite materials industry.