Automated fiber placement has been become the main manufacture method to produce airframes such as wings and fuselages, thus the research about automated fiber placement is more and more popular. The paper focuses on the common defects during automated fiber placement, including its types, its causes and its effects on mechanical properties. In the first section, the worldwide research about automated fiber placement is reviewed. Firstly, the summary of common
defects in practical placement experiment of our team is introduced, and its possible causes are analyzed, and the research object includes thermoset prepreg, dry fibers and thermoplastic materials. Secondly, a review about common defects in automated fiber placement is introduced. Thirdly, the defects in steering analysis is studied. Fourthly, the layup quality of automated fiber placement on curved panel is analyzed. Finally, the main defects in layup of sandwich structures is investigated, and the defects of dry fibers and thermoplastic prepreg are studied respectively. The introduction and summary should be benefit for the quality improvement in the future automated fiber placement.