Title: Accelerating and Digitalizing the Path from Design to Production with COAST and HyperX

Authors: August Noevere, Matt Zupan, Von Jamora, Dallen Unruh, Elle Jeries, Marc Palardy-Sim

DOI:

Abstract: Integrating Fives' COAST software with Collier Aerospace's HyperX analysis environment offers a powerful pathway for accelerating composite structure design, qualification, and production readiness. The COAST platform collects volumetric results of fabricated composites, and utilizes machine learning to categorize common lamination defects (gaps, laps, twists, missing material, and others). HyperX is used to assess strength and buckling of composite laminates by interfacing with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) results. COAST output is imported to HyperX, allowing users to evaluate the as-built strength and buckling characteristics of a composite laminate. The manufacturing data is tracked per ply in the part coordinate system with a high level of precision, which enables an accurate mapping onto the stress analysis model. This integration creates closed-loop design-for-manufacturing: engineers can quickly and comprehensively assess the impacts of decisions made in the manufacturing process on the structural performance of the part in each design cycle iteration. Additionally, this approach unifies manufacturing process data and structural analysis, thus advancing digital thread initiatives. The integration of these two disciplines in an automated fashion facilitates the development of lightweight and defect-tolerant composite structures.

References: [1] W. Polini and A. Corrado, “Digital twin of composite assembly manufacturing process,” Int. J. Prod. Res., vol. 58, no. 17, pp. 5238–5252, Sep. 2020, doi: 10.1080/00207543.2020.1714091. [2] F. Tao, J. Cheng, Q. Qi, M. Zhang, H. Zhang, and F. Sui, “Digital twin-driven product design, manufacturing and service with big data,” Int. J. Adv. Manuf. Technol., vol. 94, no. 9–12, pp. 3563–3576, Feb. 2018, doi: 10.1007/s00170-017-0233-1. [3] J. Cemenska, T. Rudberg, and M. Henscheid, “Automated In-Process Inspection System for AFP Machines,” SAE Int. J. Aerosp., vol. 8, no. 2, Art. no. 2015-01–2608, Sep. 2015, doi: 10.4271/2015-01-2608. [4] K. A. Soucy, “In-Process Monitoring for Quality Assurance of Automated Composite Fabrication,” in Review of Progress in Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation: Volume 15A, D. O. Thompson and D. E. Chimenti, Eds., Boston, MA: Springer US, 1996, pp. 2225–2231. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4613-0383-1_292. [5] “Electroimpact, Inc.: Technology: view Electroimpact’s catalogue of advance composites manufacturing products (RIPITx).” Accessed: Jan. 06, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://electroimpact.com/products/composites-manufacturing/technology.aspx [6] “Composite Optical Automated Surface Tracking (COAST).” Accessed: Jan. 06, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://www.fivesgroup.com/high-precision-machines/compositesautomated-solutions/forming-inspection/composite-optical-automated-surface-tracking [7] S. Roy, M. Palardy-Sim, M. Rivard, G. Lamouche, and A. Yousefpour, “In-process automated fiber placement inspection: applied feature detection on a complex part geometry,” presented at the SAMPE 2023, in SAMPE 2023 Conference & Exhibition, April 17-20, 2023, Seattle, Washington, United States. Collection / Collection : NRC Publications Archive / Archives des publications du CNRC: SAMPE, Apr. 2023. doi: 10.33599/nasampe/s.23.0163. [8] M. Rivard et al., “SS-OCT technology for the in-process inspection of the automated fiber placement manufacturing process,” in Photonic Instrumentation Engineering XI, SPIE, Mar. 2024, pp. 166–171. doi: 10.1117/12.3002630. [9] C. Madsen et al., “Automated In-Process Inspection for Automated Composite Lamination,” Publ. Task Order N00014-19-F-M001. [10] HyperX, Software Package, Ver. 2023.3.9. (2023). Collier Research Corporation, Newport News, VA. [11] A. Noevere, V. Jamora, and R. Harik, “Integration of Structural Analysis and Manufacturing Process Planning for Global Optimization with Automated Fiber Placement,” Accessed: Jan. 07, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20240004968 [12] A. Noevere, “Effects of Defects Analysis and Sizing Framework for Efficient Design of Composite Structures,” presented at the SAMPE Conference and Exposition, Seattle, WA. Accessed: Jan. 07, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20230000268 [13] X. Li, S. R. Hallett, and M. R. Wisnom, “Modelling the effect of gaps and overlaps in automated fibre placement (AFP)-manufactured laminates,” Sci. Eng. Compos. Mater., vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 115–129, Mar. 2015, doi: 10.1515/secm-2013-0322. [14] D. Cartié, M. Lan, P. Davies, and C. Baley, “Influence of Embedded Gap and Overlap Fiber Placement Defects on Interlaminar Properties of High Performance Composites,” Materials, vol. 14, no. 18, p. 5332, Jan. 2021, doi: 10.3390/ma14185332. [15] K. Croft, L. Lessard, D. Pasini, M. Hojjati, J. Chen, and A. Yousefpour, “Experimental study of the effect of automated fiber placement induced defects on performance of composite laminates,” Compos. Part Appl. Sci. Manuf., vol. 42, no. 5, pp. 484–491, May 2011, doi: 10.1016/j.compositesa.2011.01.007. [16] W. E. Guin, J. R. Jackson, and C. M. Bosley, “Effects of tow-to-tow gaps in composite laminates fabricated via automated fiber placement,” Compos. Part Appl. Sci. Manuf., vol. 115, pp. 66–75, Dec. 2018, doi: 10.1016/j.compositesa.2018.09.014. [17] L. Jeries, M. Benson, G. Lund, C. Stroemel, and M. Zupan, “In-Process Surface Analysis of a Sub-Scale Aerospace Component,” in CAMX 2023, NA SAMPE, 2023. doi: 10.33599/nasampe/c.23.0165. [18] A. Sawicki and P. Minguett, “The effect of intraply overlaps and gaps upon the compression strength of composite laminates,” in 39th AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference and Exhibit, Long Beach,CA,U.S.A.: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Apr. 1998. doi: 10.2514/6.1998-1786.

Conference: SAMPE 2026

Publication Date: 2026/04/27

SKU: 196

Pages: 15

Price: $30.00