Fives to Showcase at SAMPE 2026

Fives – Composites & Automated Solutions is distinguishing itself from traditional aerospace suppliers by transitioning from standalone machinery to fully integrated, digitalized production ecosystems. While many competitors focus solely on deposition speed, Fives leverages the combined heritage of the Cincinnati and Lund brands to provide a comprehensive workflow that addresses the primary industry bottleneck: the gap between design and high-rate production. By combining ultra-high-speed lamination with the COAST automated detection system, the company offers a unique value proposition that synchronizes real-time quality monitoring with advanced automated tape laying (ATL) to eliminate manual rework and streamline the path to final curing.

Digitalizing the Design-to-Production Workflow
The core differentiator for modern manufacturers lies in the digitalization of the manufacturing chain. Fives, in partnership with Collier Aerospace, has pioneered a methodology that integrates HyperX design software with the COAST In-Process Inspection system. This integration allows for "on-the-fly" quality validation, providing real-time data that ensures layup accuracy during the initial pass. Unlike conventional methods where inspection is a separate, post-process hurdle, this system identifies deviations immediately, significantly reducing the scrap rates and inspection downtime that often plague large-scale composite projects.

High-Rate Performance and Geometric Versatility
Production efficiency is further enhanced through specialized hardware designed for specific manufacturing challenges. The Lund Slalom Hybrid ATL provides the agility required for complex, contoured geometries that often defeat standard automated systems, while the Cincinnati SuperCharger focuses on sheer throughput. The SuperCharger distinguishes itself through innovative on-head scrap management and high-speed cutting capabilities, allowing for continuous operation without the typical pauses for manual material clearing. For the largest aerostructures, the Cincinnati Viper provides the necessary scale and precision, reinforcing Fives’ position as the provider of the world’s largest installed base of fiber-placement and tape-laying equipment.

Integrated Systems for Enhanced Productivity
Beyond individual machines, the Fives approach centers on a holistic manufacturing environment. By offering a suite of customizable technologies — including lamination, forming, and curing — the company provides a singular point of accountability for the entire production line. This integrated strategy enables aerospace and industrial sectors to achieve higher productivity and consistent quality, ensuring that every step of the composite workflow is optimized for the demands of next-generation manufacturing.

Edited by Evgeny Churilov, Induportals Media - Adapted by AI.

www.fivesgroup.com