Patent ID: 8522849

Claim:
An automated in-line manufacturing system for applying a resin to one or more fiber tows, infusing the one or more fiber tows with the resin to form one or more infused fiber tows and subsequent layup of the one or more infused fiber tows to form a composite part, wherein each of the one or more fiber tows is moving at a respective fiber speed, the automated system comprising: an automated resin delivery, deposition and infusion system configured to form the one or more resin infused fiber tows; an automated layup system configured in-line with the automated resin delivery, deposition and infusion system to receive a feed-through of the one or more resin infused fiber tows, the automated layup system comprising at least one guide roller coupled to an extending cylinder, wherein the extending cylinder is configured to extend the guide roller and generate a buffer amount in the one or more resin infused fiber tows and wherein the buffer amount is always increased when the guide roller is extended, at least one compaction roller disposed downstream from the guide roller and configured to adhere the one or more infused fiber tows to a surface of a substrate, at least one auxiliary roller disposed downstream from the compaction roller and a positioning and control system to orient the guide roller, the compaction roller and the auxiliary roller relative to the surface of the substrate; and a controller configured to control the automated layup system, and control tension of the one or more resin infused fiber tows within the automated layup system.