The thermoplastic tape-placement technique offers excellent potential for the production of large-area components from fibre-reinforced plastics. The process allows a high level of integration and automation. In addition, the costly, time-consuming autoclave cycle can be dispensed with altogether. Industrial scale application of the thermoplastic tape-placement process has until now been hindered by a number of unsolved problems. Many innovations at the Institut fur Verbundwerkstoffe (institute for composite materials) over the last two years have meant that this process is now at a stage in which application of this technology for series production is imminent.