Comparing Carbon Composite Production Technologies

This article offers a comprehensive comparison of key manufacturing technologies for carbon fiber composites, including Holy Technologies’ Infinite Fiber Placement (IFP), manual layup methods, and automated solutions like AFP, ATL, and TFP. It evaluates each method based on five critical criteria: part size, performance, throughput, recyclability, and cost. The guide helps engineers, designers, and product teams understand the trade-offs of each approach and choose the right method for their specific application — from prototyping to scalable production.

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New to composites? Then we recommend reading this article that covers a detailed explanation of what composites are, what types there are, and how they are generally made.

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Technology Comparison

There is no one-size-fits-all solution in composite manufacturing. Each production method has its own strengths, limitations, and specialties. This article breaks down the main technologies used to manufacture carbon fiber composites, explaining how they work, what they are best suited for, and what to consider when selecting a method for your application. We focus on: base materials used (reinforcement & matrix), fiber deposition methods, and resin infusion processes.

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The choices of these elements and their combinations, influence:

• Part size
• Part performance (including weight, and refers to level of mechanical property enhancement via tailored fiber orientation)
• Throughput (annual production per line – includes production speed and scalability)
• Recyclability
• Cost (per 1000 parts)

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Which technologies will we compare?

• IFP (Holy Technologies)
• Manual Wet Layup
• Manual Prepreg Layup
• Automated Fiber Placement (AFP)
• Automated Tape Laying (ATL)
• Tailored Fiber Placemement (TFP)

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The table below offers a side-by-side comparison to support your decision-making:

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Infinite Fiber Placement (IFP)

IFP system is an automated end-to-end process for high-performance composite parts. It begins with simulation-driven fiber path optimization, followed by robotic dry fiber deposition with repeatable precision. Resin is then injected via RTM into a closed mold, producing end-parts that do not require trimming or drilling. The result is consistent, high-strength components with minimal waste and excellent recyclability, recovered fibers retain ~97% on average of their mechanical properties across the recycling cycles. IFP supports built-in features like inserts and holes (no need for drilling), and scales seamlessly from prototype to production. The IFP system is only optimized for parts between ~100 mm (3.9 in) and ~1500 mm (59 in) in width and length, and may require additional tooling or segmentation for complex double-curved geometries.

• Part size: Small–Large (~50 mm to ~3000 mm | 2 in to 118 in)
  
• Part performance: High
  
• Throughput: High
  
• Recyclability: High (equivalent applications; ~97% fiber property retention)
  
• Cost: €€

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If you like to understand how Holy Technologies enables 100% recyclability, then we recommend reading this article.

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Manual Wet Layup

Hand layup is the simplest and most manual composite production method. Dry carbon fiber fabrics are cut and placed into an open mold, then impregnated with resin by hand, brushed, poured, or rolled. It’s ideal for early-stage prototyping and very low-volume production due to its low setup cost and tooling simplicity. However, it performs poorly in terms of speed, repeatability, and part performance, often resulting in high void content. Scalability is extremely limited, and recyclability depends heavily on the resin system and level of contamination.

• Part size: Small–Medium (~50 mm to ~1000 mm | 2 in to 39 in)
  
• Part performance: Low–Medium (depending on fiber choice)
  
• Throughput: Low
  
• Recyclability: Low-Medium (downcycling)
  
• Cost: €€€ (due to manual labor)

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Manual Prepreg Layup

Prepreg layup uses pre-impregnated carbon fiber fabrics that are manually placed into molds. Since resin content is tightly controlled during prepreg manufacturing, this method produces higher quality, lower void composites with excellent fiber alignment and finish. Curing is typically done in an oven or autoclave. While part performance is high, prepreg layup is costly, produces material waste (offcuts), and requires refrigerated storage. It’s suitable for low-volume, high-performance parts but is not cost-effective for scalable or recyclable production.

• Part size: Small–Large (~50 mm to ~3000 mm | 2 in to 118 in)
  
• Part performance: High (skill-dependent)
  
• Throughput: Medium
  
• Recyclability: Low–Medium (downcycling)‍
• Cost: €€€ (due to manual labor)

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Automated Fiber Placement (AFP)

AFP uses robotic heads to lay down narrow tows of prepreg tape, which can be steered to follow complex curves and local reinforcement paths. This method excels in design precision, enabling fiber orientation tailored to load paths, critical in high-performance applications. However, it requires autoclave curing, generates trimming waste, and comes with high setup and operating costs. Iteration cycles can be slow, making it best for mature designs with stable geometry.

• Part size: Medium–Large (~300 mm to ~3000 mm | 12 in to 118 in)
  
• Part performance: High
  
• Throughput: Low–Medium
  
• Recyclability: Low–Medium (downcycling)
  
• Cost: €€€

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Automated Tape Laying (ATL)

ATL is a faster, more linear cousin to AFP. It uses wide prepreg tapes to rapidly cover flat or gently contoured surfaces. While less flexible in geometry, ATL enables high-throughput production of large structural components like wingskins or panels. Like AFP, it requires autoclave curing and produces excess waste. Its design flexibility is lower, but for large, simple parts, ATL delivers unmatched productivity.

• Part size: Large–Extra Large (~1000 mm to >3000 mm | 39 in to >118 in)
  
• Part performance: Medium
  
• Throughput: Medium
  
• Recyclability: Low–Medium (downcycling)
  
• Cost: €€€

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Tailored Fiber Placement (TFP)

TFP uses embroidery machines to stitch dry carbon fibers into precise patterns on a flexible substrate. This method allows for high fiber orientation control and material efficiency, making it excellent for weight-optimized parts with custom load paths. However, TFP may face challenges with resin flow during impregnation. The stitched backing can complicate recyclability, especially if it is not compatible with the chosen matrix system.

• Part size: Small–Medium (~50 mm to ~1000 mm | 2 in to 39 in)
  
• Part performance: High
  
• Throughput: Medium
  
• Recyclability: Low–Medium (downcycling)
  
• Cost: €€

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Which Technology Is For You?

• IFP is optimized for customers who want fiber-level design freedom, sustainability, fast turnaround, and high-quality repeatability at scale.
  
• Manual Wet Layup is optimized for customers who need low-cost prototyping or one-off parts and can accommodate lower performance, slow cycles, and high manual labor.
  
• Manual Prepreg Layup is optimized for customers who require high-performance, cosmetically clean parts in low volumes and can rely on skilled labor and accept some material waste.
  
• AFP is optimized for customers producing mature, high-performance parts with complex geometries who value design precision and can invest in high setup and infrastructure costs.
  
• ATL is optimized for customers manufacturing large, relatively flat or gently contoured parts at industrial volumes, where speed and consistency outweigh geometric flexibility.‍
• TFP: is optimized for customers who need custom fiber orientation, care about weight optimization and waste reduction, and can manage the multi-step workflow.

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Appendix: Glossary

Composite: A material made by combining two or more different materials to create superior mechanical properties. In this context: carbon fibers + resin.

Dry fiber: Unimpregnated fiber used as input material for composite layup, often more flexible and recyclable than prepreg.

Prepreg: Fiber material that has been pre-impregnated with resin. Offers uniform resin distribution but requires cold storage and autoclave curing.

Fiber deposition: The process of “placing” or “laying” fibers (dry or sheets) into the desired part shape and orientation.

RTM (Resin Transfer Molding): A closed-mold process where resin is injected into a dry fiber preform. Allows high-quality, repeatable parts with smooth surfaces.

Intelligent fiber orientation: Digitally optimized fiber paths based on part geometry and performance requirements. Enables material efficiency and custom mechanical properties.