Thermal Camera Monitoring for Automated Fiber Placement Process Control Systems

Real-time Thermal Monitoring for Stable Bonding and Consolidation

Challenge

AFP quality depends strongly on thermal history at and before the nip point. Variations in layup speed, laser power, compaction, tool temperature, or ply orientation can shift the temperature profile, reduce intimate contact, increase void risk, and weaken interlaminar bonding. Because some defects are only visible after layup, late inspection leads to scrap, rework, and lost production time.

Solution

An Optris thermal camera monitors the substrate and incoming tape in real time directly ahead of the nip point. The measured thermal field can be linked to machine settings such as laser power, layup speed, and compaction force, allowing operators or control software to identify process drift early and stabilize deposition conditions before defects propagate into the laminate.

Benefits

Real-time view of tape and substrate temperature before consolidation
Early detection of thermal drift during AFP layup
Supports stable bonding and intimate contact development
Links thermal data to laser power, speed, and force
Reduces risk of scrap, rework, and variable laminate quality
Enables data-driven process optimization for thermoplastic AFP

Why Thermal Stability Matters in Automated Fiber Placement

Automated Fiber Placement is highly sensitive to local process temperature. In thermoplastic AFP, the temperature history around the incoming tape, substrate, and nip point influences intimate contact, interlaminar bonding, cooling rate, crystallinity, and ultimately laminate quality. The attached studies show that even when the visible nip point temperature is held near a target, changes in layup speed, fiber orientation, compaction force, or heating conditions can alter the underlying thermal history and therefore the quality of consolidation. In particular, fiber orientation affects intimate contact and thermal contact resistance between plies, which in turn changes the temperature evolution through the laminate. This makes thermal monitoring essential, not optional, when robust process windows are required. The manufacturing literature also shows that inspection after deposition is too late for many AFP defects. Manual inspection and rework can consume a substantial share of build time, while in-situ monitoring offers a route to detect abnormal conditions earlier and react before defects are locked into the part. For AFP lines targeting higher throughput and lower scrap, process-relevant temperature data is one of the most practical inputs for control.

Optris Solution for AFP Monitoring

Optris infrared cameras are used directly in the layup process to monitor laminate surface temperature in real time. The Optris PI thermal camera is part of a Coriolis AFP system, in which laminate surface temperature is monitored continuously while machine settings such as laser power, layup speed, and compaction force are controlled via the HMI. The use of an Optris PI thermal camera at 80 Hz with 382 × 288 pixel resolution and a calibrated range from -20 °C to 900 °C to measure the substrate and incoming tape until the visible nip point. For AFP users, this means the thermal camera can serve as the process eye for the heating zone. It provides spatial temperature information on the tape and substrate, rather than a single-point reading, making it easier to detect non-uniform heating, process drift, and local instability across the layup width. In practice, the thermal image can be used to compare actual versus expected temperature patterns, trigger alarms, document thermal conditions for quality records, and support closed-loop or supervisory adjustment of laser power, speed, or force through the machine control system. That control architecture is a direct extension of the real-time inspect-think-react logic demonstrated in the attached AFP control work.

Thermal Imaging as a Process Control Tool

Using an Optris thermal camera in AFP control adds value at three levels: monitoring, optimization, and quality assurance. First, it gives continuous non-contact visibility of the heated tape and substrate immediately before consolidation. That is critical in thermoplastic AFP because the bonding window is narrow and highly dependent on temperature history. Second, it provides process data that can be correlated with machine settings such as laser power, layup speed, compaction force, and tool temperature. This supports faster setup, more stable parameter development, and better understanding of why one parameter set produces stronger laminates than another. Third, thermal imaging supports a broader shift from post-process inspection to in-process control. The attached AFP control study shows that real-time sensing combined with automatic machine response can mitigate defect propagation and improve final microstructure. While that specific setup combined multiple sensors, the same principle applies to thermal monitoring: detect abnormal process conditions early, react before the defect reaches the critical deposition zone, and reduce downstream scrap or rework. For manufacturers pursuing more repeatable thermoplastic AFP, an Optris camera is therefore not just a measurement device. It is a practical process-control sensor for stabilizing heat input, supporting consistent bonding, and building a more traceable AFP operation.

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Talk to us about your IR Temperature Measurement Requirements

There are over 300 different pyrometer variants to choose from in the Optris infrared pyrometer portfolio each optimized for material, spot size, distance from the target, and environmental conditions. Fortunately, there is a trained engineer to phone or chat with to guide you through the process of choosing the perfect infrared sensor for your application.

The same support is available for the extensive IR camera product line.

Thermal Camera Monitoring for Automated Fiber Placement Process Control Systems

Challenge

Solution

Benefits

Why Thermal Stability Matters in Automated Fiber Placement

Optris Solution for AFP Monitoring

Thermal Imaging as a Process Control Tool

Recommended Products

PI 640i LT

PI 450i LT

Other Plastic Applications

Thermal Imaging Cameras Ensure Material Quality in Industrial Rubber Calendering Processes

Thermal Fingerprint: Injection Molding in the Spotlight of Industry 4.0

Optimizing Bond Strength with Real-Time Adhesive Application Monitoring

Ensuring Precise Temperature Control in Industrial Thermoforming Process

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IR Imaging to Optimize Plastic Welding in Water Filter Manufacturing

Advanced Thermal Measurement Solutions for Fast Plastic Molding Processes

Talk to us about your IR Temperature Measurement Requirements

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Thermal Camera Monitoring for Automated Fiber Placement Process Control Systems

Challenge

Solution

Benefits

Why Thermal Stability Matters in Automated Fiber Placement

Optris Solution for AFP Monitoring

Thermal Imaging as a Process Control Tool

Recommended Products

PI 640i LT

PI 450i LT

Other Plastic Applications

Thermal Imaging Cameras Ensure Material Quality in Industrial Rubber Calendering Processes

Thermal Fingerprint: Injection Molding in the Spotlight of Industry 4.0

Optimizing Bond Strength with Real-Time Adhesive Application Monitoring

Ensuring Precise Temperature Control in Industrial Thermoforming Process

Adhesive Application and Bonding Quality Control

Comprehensive Temperature Profiling in Roto-Molded Kayak Production

IR Imaging to Optimize Plastic Welding in Water Filter Manufacturing

Advanced Thermal Measurement Solutions for Fast Plastic Molding Processes

Talk to us about your IR Temperature Measurement Requirements

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