Research status and challenges of automatic fiber placement equipment and software technology for composite materials

The high specific strength, high specific modulus, and corrosion resistance of composite materials make them widely used in critical fields such as aerospace. To address the challenges in automated fiber placement (AFP) technology regarding equipment and software systems, a comprehensive analysis of the current development status and trends of AFP technology both domestically and internationally is conducted. Globally, AFP technology has achieved relative maturity, featuring advanced equipment and well-developed software systems capable of precise fiber placement and real-time monitoring for complex composite components. In contrast, China's AFP equipment is still in the development phase, requiring significant improvements in placement accuracy, production efficiency, and operational stability. Furthermore, domestic AFP software systems currently lack standardized algorithms for trajectory planning of complex components, resulting in noticeable gaps in functionality and computational efficiency compared to international counterparts. These technological limitations collectively constrain the advancement of China's composite component manufacturing capabilities to higher precision and productivity levels. Therefore, the development and application of AFP equipment and software technology have become research hotspots for the automated forming of complex composite components. This paper analyzes gantry-type fiber placement machines, horizontal fiber placement machines, and robotic fiber placement machines, summarizing and analyzing the research progress of automated fiber placement machines domestically and internationally. It reviews relevant studies on automated fiber placement path planning and motion simulation, as well as the gaps and existing challenges between China’s AFP technology and international advanced levels. Finally, this paper summarizes and forecasts the development trends of AFP equipment and software, providing a reference direction for the design and optimization of fiber placement machines, aiming to promote the application of composite materials in fields such as aerospace in China and facilitate the upgrading of the next generation of AFP equipment.