Recent advances in manufacturing and post-processing of fiber-reinforced thermoset and thermoplastic composites: A multi-domain perspective

The expanding use of fiber reinforced composites in aerospace automotive and energy sectors demands manufacturing routes that deliver consistent quality at higher production rates. Yet defects formed during processing and post processing remain major barriers, including porosity fiber misalignment weak interfacial bonding and machining induced damage that can reduce strength fatigue life and assembly reliability. This review consolidates recent progress across the full processing chain for thermoset and thermoplastic composites, covering conventional fabrication and high rate forming methods, followed by key post processing operations such as drilling trimming and joining with emphasis on defect mechanisms and mitigation strategies. Emerging directions are highlighted that enable smarter and more robust production, including robotic forming and machining platforms, multi sensor in situ monitoring, and artificial intelligence models for quality prediction parameter optimization and defect detection. The complementarity between data driven learning and physical process understanding is emphasized to support interpretable decision making and closed loop control in complex thermo mechanical environments. Sustainability considerations are discussed through recyclable thermoplastic pathways and circular manufacturing concepts that reduce waste and energy consumption. By integrating advances in manufacturing post processing intelligent control and sustainability, this review provides a unified perspective and identifies priorities for future research toward automated defect resilient and digitally enabled composite production.