SS-OCT technology for the in-process inspection of the automated fiber placement manufacturing process

Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) is an additive manufacturing process that enables the fabrication of complex parts for the aerospace industry. In-process inspection (IPI) for AFP is a technology that has been in high demand by most manufacturers for a long time since the current quality control, based on visual inspection, is a time-consuming process. The development of an IPI system for AFP presents many challenges. We show that the Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography (SS-OCT) technology addresses these challenges to provide a welcomed solution to the AFP manufacturing industry.