TABLE OF CONTENTS Automated ply cutting, manual ply collation, or lay-up, and autoclave curing is the most widely used process for high performance composites in the aerospace industry. While manual ply collation is expensive, this process is capable of making complex and high quality parts. Since cost has become a major driver, a number of other processes such as automated tape laying, filament winding, and fiber placement are used for certain classes of parts. In addition, other low cost processes, such as liquid molding and pultrusion, are either in limited production or are emerging as production ready processes.
