Abstract: Carbon fiber composites are increasingly applied in the aerospace and automotive industries. However, due to the complex physical and chemical properties of the constituent materials and molding processes, the probability of manufacturing defects in composites is very high. Therefore, studying the manufacturing defects and detection methods of composites is crucial for assessing their quality. Infrared thermography technology was used to identify the defects in the process of carbon fiber placement. The minimum edge detection rate on both sides of a single layer reaches 94.3%, and the interlayer gap measurement is below 10%, achieving visual identification and detection of defects in the carbon fiber placement process.