NIAR Automated Technologies Laboratory for Aerospace Systems (ATLAS) partnered with Axiom Materials to investigate the automated fiber placement (AFP) of AX-7810UD-330N610-0.5", a solvent-based Ox-Ox Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMC) unidirectional slit tape that can be used for high temperature applications up to 1,650 °F, such as engine components. Several variants were slit using a NIAR slitter, capable of continuous in-process inspections to investigate the slit-tape quality in order to ensure that the material will process through the AFP system without any manufacturing defects.   "Working in partnership with the technical team at Axiom Materials, we were quickly able to implement several improvements to the AFP system in order to precisely process slit narrow tape CMC materials efficiently," said Josh Goertz, a senior research engineer at ATLAS who has over 10 years of experience with AFP systems.