CFRP High-Rate Manufacturing (AFP) Patent Snapshot
The CFRP high-rate manufacturing (AFP) patent field is in a growth stage, with Boeing holding the lead position and the top five filers accounting for 67% of the hundred largest filers’ combined activity. The field is still expanding on a multi-year basis, though annual volume eased from its 2023 peak and the most recent years remain understated by publication lag.
Boeing leads a highly concentrated field with two Japanese materials giants in close pursuit
Boeing holds the top position in the CFRP high-rate AFP manufacturing space, followed by Toray Industries and Teijin, with Electroimpact and Airbus Operations rounding out the top five. The top five filers account for 67% of the ranked applicants visible in this query’ combined total, signaling a field where a small number of established aerospace and materials players have defined the early technical agenda.
The tier gap is meaningful: Boeing’s 9 patent records, Toray’s 7, and Teijin’s 6 represent the visible cluster, while all remaining applicants hold 2 or fewer records each. This steep drop-off suggests that the field has not yet attracted broad participation beyond its aerospace and advanced-materials core.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Boeing Company | 9 | |
| 2 | Toray Industries Inc. | 7 | |
| 3 | Teijin Ltd. | 6 | |
| 4 | Electroimpact Inc. | 2 | |
| 5 | Airbus Operations SL | 2 | |
| 6 | Indian Institute of Technology Bombay | 2 | |
| 7 | Shanghai Juner New Materials | 1 | |
| 8 | TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY | 1 | |
| 9 | Ningbo Super Resin Inc. | 1 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Beijing Kongtian Times Technology Co., Ltd. | 1 | |
| 11 | Dongfeng Motor Corp Hubei | 1 | |
| 12 | National Chin-Yi University of Technology | 1 | |
| 13 | Hengshen Co., Ltd. | 1 | |
| 14 | Essentium Inc. | 1 | |
| 15 | Jiangsu Aosheng Composite Materials Hi-Tech Co., Ltd. | 1 | |
| 16 | CGN Juner New Materials | 1 | |
| 17 | Taisei Plas Co., Ltd. | 1 |
Boeing’s leadership reflects its position as both an end-user and process innovator in AFP-driven airframe manufacturing, while Toray and Teijin’s prominence reflects the materials-supply dimension — precursor resins, prepregs, and fiber architecture — that underpins high-rate deposition rates. Teijin’s notable emphasis on material analysis and testing (G01N) suggests a focus on process quality assurance alongside layup.
Filing counts for 2024–2026 are likely understated due to standard patent publication lag; observed totals for those years should be read as lower bounds. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
A 2023 filing surge anchors growth-stage dynamics; plastics-shaping IP dominates the technology mix
Two charts together show when and where activity is concentrating: a filing trend that peaked in 2023 and a technology composition heavily weighted toward process shaping, with aerospace and laminate branches as secondary clusters.
Annual filing trend
Annual filings were sparse and irregular from 2017 through 2022, then surged to 9 records in 2023 — the clearest signal of genuine field acceleration. The 2024 figure of 1 and 2025’s 3 records are almost certainly understated by publication lag and should not be read as a slowdown. The field’s recent three-year window sits 20% above the prior three-year window, confirming net growth on a multi-year basis despite the easing from the 2023 peak.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
B29C (Shaping of plastics) is the visible IPC branch by a wide margin, reflecting the process-engineering core of AFP layup technology. B64C (Aeroplanes and helicopters) and the B29K/B29L index codes form a secondary aerospace and materials cluster. B32B (Layered products and laminates) and B29B (Plastics preparation) indicate active attention to prepreg and laminate stack design. Smaller counts in G01N (Material analysis and testing), B26D (Cutting), B33Y (Additive manufacturing), and B25J (Manipulators and robots) point to adjacent enabling technologies that remain lightly patented relative to the core process.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaHighly cited patent families surfaced by the query
Citation-heavy patent families returned by the query. Use this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents.
Method and system for manufacturing an aerostructure
An additive manufacturing machine (AMM) operates within a designated work cell. One or more pre-fabricated primary substructure pieces, produced by a first manufacturing process (which can be additive and/or subtractive), are transferred into the designated AMM work cell. The primary substructure pieces are aligned (optionally using alignment structures… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Method for producing carbon fiber aggregate, and m… | 16 |
| 2 | 一种高速动车碳纤维复合材料设备舱横梁及其制作方法 | 15 |
| 3 | Method and system for manufacturing of a moulded C… | 15 |
| 4 | Planked stringers that provide structural support … | 13 |
| 5 | Method and system for manufacturing of a moulded C… | 10 |
| 6 | 一种新型的连续性碳纤维汽车零部件快速成型模具 | 8 |
| 7 | Lightning protection in aircrafts constructed with… | 5 |
| 8 | CFRP立体构件快速成型量产制造工艺 | 2 |
Ranked by total forward citations. Citation counts favour older and broadly cited patent families, and broad or adjacent patents may appear when they match the search scope. Treat this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents. Some patent titles may be shown in their original, non-English language where an accurate translation could not be guaranteed.
Assignee snapshot from the current evidence set
The applicants below are visible in this query result. Because the evidence set is relatively small, read this section as a directional snapshot rather than a full competitive ranking.
The Boeing Company
Boeing holds 9 patent records — the largest position in the corpus — concentrated across B29C 70 (plastics shaping/composite layup), B64C 3 (aircraft structures), and B29C 65 (joining of plastics). This dual focus on process and airframe application reflects Boeing’s role as both AFP equipment user and structural designer. Momentum data classifies Boeing as a new entrant in the most recent filing window, indicating recent re-engagement after a quieter prior period.
patent records: 9Toray Industries Inc.
Toray holds 7 patent records, focused on B29C 70 (shaping), B32B 27, and B32B 9 (layered products and laminates). This materials-upstream emphasis — resin systems, fiber architecture, prepreg laminate design — positions Toray as a supplier-side innovator rather than an equipment or airframe integrator. Momentum data also classifies Toray as a new entrant in the most recent window, suggesting a recent ramp-up in AFP-specific filings.
patent records: 7Frequently asked questions
The analyzed corpus contains 27 patent families in scope. Activity is concentrated among a small number of aerospace and materials players, with the United States as the primary filing jurisdiction.
The Boeing Company leads with 9 patent records, followed by Toray Industries with 7 and Teijin with 6. Together these three players account for a substantial share of the ranked applicants visible in this query’ combined activity.
The field is classified as Growth-stage. Recent three-year filing volume is 20% above the prior three-year window. Annual filings peaked in 2023 at 9 records, and subsequent years are likely understated due to publication lag, so the post-2023 moderation should not be read as saturation.
The United States leads with 14 patent records, followed by Europe (EPO) with 10 and China with 7. Smaller filing activity is observed in India, Germany, Japan, Taiwan, and via WIPO.
B29C (Shaping of plastics) is the visible IPC branch, reflecting the AFP deposition process core. Secondary clusters include B64C (aeronautical structures), B32B (layered products and laminates), and B29K/B29L materials index classes. Manipulators (B25J) and additive manufacturing (B33Y) are present but lightly filed.
Only one co-filing pair is observed in the corpus: Texas A&M University and Essentium filed 1 joint record, linking academic composite process research with thermoplastic AFP equipment. Boeing, Toray, and Teijin each appear to be filing independently with no observed joint records in this corpus.
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Disclaimer. This page is generated from Patsnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent and scientific-literature records, and is provided for general information and reference only.
Patent data carries inherent limitations: recent filings (typically the most recent 18–24 months) are under-counted due to standard publication lag; counts may be reported at either a patent-family or a patent-record basis and are not always directly comparable; classification, applicant-name, and citation data may contain errors, duplicates, or omissions; and the underlying search query defines and constrains the scope shown. As a result, the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
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