End-to-end automation system progresses composite material deposition capabilities

Evolving over several years of development, Loop Technology (Dorchester, U.K.) presents the FibreLine system, an end-to-end automation solution that provides a step change in material deposition rates in the preforming process for manufacturing composite aerostructures such as aircraft wings and fuselage sections. 

This year, Loop and its FibreLine system won the JEC Composites Innovation Award 2025 in the “Aerospace – Process” category. Loop Technology’s managing director, Alun Reece, attended the award ceremony at the Palais des Congrès in Paris, alongside Samantha Reece, marketing director, and Matt Hardman, technical sales manager. “It’s very flattering and very humbling. It’s been quite a journey,” says Alun. “We’re conscious that any development in a company starts as an acorn and aims to be an oak.” FibreLine has been an international collaborative effort alongside partners Gudel, Zünd, FANUC and the National Composites Centre (NCC).

The JEC Innovation awards identifies, promotes and rewards the most innovative composite solutions worldwide. The finalist awards, split into 11 categories, are selected by an external jury made up of composites professionals. Loop Technology was finalists alongside Daher and Kawasaki Heavy Industries in their category.

Loop Technology’s FibreLine system is made up from the company’s suite of end effectors that automate the entire preforming stage in composites manufacturing. FibreLine cuts, sorts and sequences large plies of carbon fiber and other material before picking, forming and placing it with high accuracy without damage. The material is inspected to ensure integrity and then heat staked to secure in place, before moving to the next stage of manufacturing.

At the system’s center are FibreForm and FibreRoll, two pick-and-place systems that are reported to handle large plies and deposit them onto the mold at a high rate when compared to other methods such as AFP/ATP and manual layup. FibreForm uses individually controlled suction cups configured in an array of splines to carefully pick and manipulate plies into a variety of shapes including 3D double curvature profiles for layup at up to 200 kg/hr. FibreRoll is a scalable twin roller storage and deposition system capable of transferring large plies up to 20 meters in length. In recent development trials, it was part of the system at the NCC that is on track to deliver a deposition rate in excess of 350 kg/hr. FibreEye leverages advanced optical scanning to ensure each ply is placed defect-free.

High-rate composites manufacturing with FibreLine offers a range of advantages for manufacturers including reducing factory footprint and opportunities in downstream assembly. Reach out to Loop Technology to find out how FibreLine can help automate your manufacturing operations. Make sure to also visit the company at JEC 2025 in Hall 6, Booth 6K107.