Many times the materials used, laminate construction, or part geometry do not allow for direct application of continuous tow or tape.  In those instances Pick-and- Place technology can be employed to move materials into position to achieve the desired material placement.  This might involve picking up individual cut plies of uni-tape, fabric or film and placing them onto a tool or honeycomb core for building up the laminate.  It could also be used for creating a roll of off-angle material or multiple sheets of material needing to be arranged in a particular manner for subsequent downstream processing.  Robots or other mechanical devices are typically employed in conjunction with vacuum end-effectors to pick up the material and carefully place it where required.