A composite manufacturing system comprising: a fiber placement head; a compaction roller associated with the fiber placement head; and a temperature regulation system associated with the compaction roller and configured to actively control a temperature of the compaction roller, the temperature regulation system comprising: a number of temperature sensors configured to detect the temperature of the compaction roller; a cooling system associated with the compaction roller and configured to cool the compaction roller; and a controller in communication with the number of temperature sensors and the cooling system, wherein the controller is configured to regulate the cooling system such that the temperature of the compaction roller is below a threshold temperature, and wherein the controller is configured to provide controlled cooling for the compaction roller, said controlled cooling including a pre-programmed set of behaviors for cooling system based on known phenomena in the manufacturing process, wherein the cooling system is configured to be off at the start of laying up the composite material onto a substrate and said controller, as the process continues, is able to automatically adjust, without feedback, to a baseline level of cooling for a time period at the start of laying up a composite material onto a substrate. a fiber placement head; a compaction roller associated with the fiber placement head; and a temperature regulation system associated with the compaction roller and configured to actively control a temperature of the compaction roller, the temperature regulation system comprising: a number of temperature sensors configured to detect the temperature of the compaction roller; a cooling system associated with the compaction roller and configured to cool the compaction roller; and a controller in communication with the number of temperature sensors and the cooling system, wherein the controller is configured to regulate the cooling system such that the temperature of the compaction roller is below a threshold temperature, and wherein the controller is configured to provide controlled cooling for the compaction roller, said controlled cooling including a pre-programmed set of behaviors for cooling system based on known phenomena in the manufacturing process, wherein the cooling system is configured to be off at the start of laying up the composite material onto a substrate and said controller, as the process continues, is able to automatically adjust, without feedback, to a baseline level of cooling for a time period at the start of laying up a composite material onto a substrate. a number of temperature sensors configured to detect the temperature of the compaction roller; a cooling system associated with the compaction roller and configured to cool the compaction roller; and a controller in communication with the number of temperature sensors and the cooling system, wherein the controller is configured to regulate the cooling system such that the temperature of the compaction roller is below a threshold temperature, and wherein the controller is configured to provide controlled cooling for the compaction roller, said controlled cooling including a pre-programmed set of behaviors for cooling system based on known phenomena in the manufacturing process, wherein the cooling system is configured to be off at the start of laying up the composite material onto a substrate and said controller, as the process continues, is able to automatically adjust, without feedback, to a baseline level of cooling for a time period at the start of laying up a composite material onto a substrate.