Abstract: Disclosed is a machine system adaptable to a wide range of milling conditions and functions by the provision of a master milling head capable of providing spindle-driving power and up to 5-axis movement to a wide range of individual spindle heads each designed for a specific machining function, and each selectively, interchangeably, and automatically matable to the master head.

Abstract: A tape placement method and apparatus for producing laminated articles from composite tape. The tape placement apparatus builds plies of a laminated article by laying courses of composite tape along natural or untensioned paths of a compound contoured surface. The natural paths are determined by a path generation routine which incrementally fits an untensioned path to a compound curved surface and outputs the data as a desired path for a tape course. The natural paths are generated as nonmachine specific geometric data which are translated into a machine instructions which cause controlled motions of the tape laying head of the tape placement apparatus. The translation into machine instructions includes an alignment process whereby variations in the orientation of the contoured surface can be corrected.