Smart Manufacturing in AFP: Predicting Composite Quality Through Process Data

Drawing on pioneering developments in advanced composites manufacturing, the presentation outlines AIMEN’s integrated approach to enabling smart, data‑driven Automated Tape Laying (ATL) for next‑generation aerostructures. It introduces innovative 3R vitrimer-based resin tapes, engineered for reprocessability, reparability, recyclability, and enhanced sustainability, while maintaining competitive mechanical performance and processability within optimized ATL process windows. Through comprehensive material characterization and comparative assessment against commercial aerospace-grade systems, the work demonstrates the technical viability of 3R resins, supported by stable curing behaviour and low porosity levels. The study further highlights a real-time manufacturing monitoring framework, capturing temperature, pressure, and compaction force data to build digital‑twin–enabled insights for process control and predictive quality assurance. Concluding with a roadmap toward multi-demonstrator validation, the work positions smart manufacturing, embedded sensing, and advanced data analytics as key enablers for more efficient, sustainable, and intelligent composite production across the aircraft lifecycle