Abstract: High strength composite tape is prepared for laying in side-by-side strips upon a work surface by precutting the strips to a predetermined length and mounting the strips upon a carrier belt in longitudinally spaced relation to one another, so that the pressure foot of the machine applying the tape to a work surface may press to the end of one tape strip without pressing the end of the following tape strip. Improved laying of the tape is achieved by stretching a strip of tape entirely across the area on which the tape is to be laid before pressing any part of the tape against the work surface, and then pressing the tape against the surface while the tape is stretched across and adjacent the work surface. The tape is held and stretched across the work surface on supply and take up reels on opposite sides of the work surface, so that the reels need not move along the tape with the moving pressure foot.

Abstract: The surface of a part to be identified or inspected is scanned by a laser beam projected normal to the surface to be scanned from the end of a rotating arm in a circular scan pattern. A small collector lens is fixed to the end of the rotating arm and has a hole through which the projected beam passes. The part moves across the scan pattern in a direction perpendicular to the projected beam, and intensity of reflected light received by the lens and transmitted to a detector provides precision information concerning surface characteristics, orientation and discontinuities.