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Carbon Axis (La Rochelle, France) is expanding its product portfolio through the release of its compact automated fiber placement (AFP) head, the XPlace mk3. This is a standalone version that can be integrated with existing robots (from low to high payloads) or gantry systems. 

The XPlace mk3 head, previously only available inside Carbon Axis XCell machine, is a highly compact and lightweight AFP head — only weighing 7 kilograms — making it easy to handle and enabling its use for complex composite part production, ranging from small to large dimensions.

The AFP head comes with a dedicated controller and cable chain able to communicate with most machines through a Profinet fieldbus (i.e., based on Ethernet). Carbon Axis says that the controller comes Industry 4.0 ready with HMI, remote assistance, OPC UA data access and datalogging features.

The XPlace mk3 head processes thermosets, thermoplastics and dry fiber, with material widths from 1/8–1". Material can be stored in two different configurations, a spool on board or a dedicated mobile creel system. To facilitate continuous placing of thermoplastic materials, the new configuration also includes a liquid cooled compaction roller to ensure uninterrupted operation.

In addition, the standalone version is compatible with the company’s dedicated AFP software, XLay, where different robot configurations can be set to generate the machine code.  The software enables the user to program and build layups even without robotic experience. A simple interface allows the user to go from design to simulation in very simple steps.