VIVAERO

Cevotec to showcase Fibre Patch Placement for aerostructures at JEC World

At JEC World 2026, Cevotec presents new Fibre Patch Placement (FPP) capabilities designed to help aerospace suppliers automate composite aerostructures that have remained manual despite years of automation efforts.

Positioned as the bridge between Automated Fibre Placement (AFP) and hand lay-up, Fibre Patch Placement enables robotic lamination for complex 3D geometries, variable thickness regions and mixed-material assemblies - applications that typically fall outside AFP’s process window and become production bottlenecks at scale.

Demonstrators targeting real production challenges...At the show, Cevotec introduces a new aerospace demonstrator highlighting advanced lay-up features representative of secondary aerostructures produced in series environments. This demonstrator showcases high-precision robotic placement on complex geometries, with fibre and patch architectures not achievable using continuous-tow AFP systems.

Beyond this new demonstrator, Cevotec draws on a portfolio of existing, application-driven aerospace demonstrators that underline the maturity of Fibre Patch Placement for complex aerostructures. These include:

•  An HTP fairing demonstrator, developed together with GKN and other partners under a grant-supported-project, addressing complex geometry, local reinforcements and multi-material interfaces

•  A radome-inspired demonstrator, illustrating controlled fibre architectures and robust material handling for demanding functional and structural requirements

These reference applications represent a broad range of high-value Tier 1 use cases, including radomes, nacelle structures, fairings, spar and rib reinforcements, and localised reinforcements in hybrid assemblies.

Supporting rate increases, cost targets and workforce resilience...By enabling automation where it previously failed, Fibre Patch Placement supports suppliers in addressing key industrialisation pressures:

•  Scaling to higher production rates for current and upcoming single-aisle programmes

•  Achieving cost and margin targets despite increasing volumes

•  Improving first-pass quality and reducing scrap and rework

•  Reducing reliance on manual, ergonomically challenging lay-up operations

•  Strengthening their technological readiness for next-generation aircraft platforms

“FPP allows aerospace suppliers to automate exactly those composite parts that have had limited scalability in the past,” said Thorsten Groene, CEO at Cevotec. “It complements AFP by extending automation into complex aerostructures that are critical for production ramp-up and long-term competitiveness.”

Cevotec SAMBA systems, also as retrofit kit: FPP automation beyond AFP limits...Cevotec’s FPP technology is implemented on its SAMBA Series systems, combining high-rate robotic motion with precise placement of load-oriented fibre patches, in a variety of sizes. The systems support:

•  Load-path aligned fibre architectures with adjustable gaps/overlaps

•  High-precision direct 3D lay-up within tight tolerance on intricate surfaces

•  Processing of difficult-to-handle materials, including dry fibres, prepregs, film adhesives and hybrid stacks

•  Vision- and sensor-based real-time process monitoring for placement accuracy and quality assurance

This enables robust, repeatable automation for applications where previous automated lay-up approaches proved impractical. Based on a modular design approach, SAMBA Series systems can be configured and customised to match the application.

In addition to standard configurations for applications in aerospace and composite tank reinforcements, Cevotec introduces another innovation this year: A retrofit kit for existing robots, enabling access to FPP lay-up capabilities for user like R&D institutes and universities with compatible robots and small budgets.

Feasibility checks and ROI discussions at JEC World...Cevotec will offer free-of-charge FPP manufacturing feasibility checks during JEC World, enabling aerospace suppliers to quickly assess automation potential for specific parts. Detailed ROI evaluations can follow for shortlisted applications, supported by Cevotec’s engineering and industrialisation experts.

Cevotec will be exhibiting at JEC World 2026 in hall 5, stand M99. In addition to aerostructures, the company will also highlight localised reinforcement solutions for composite tanks and pressure vessels, applying Fibre Patch Placement to strengthen load-critical areas.

www.cevotec.com