Tape lamination head with tape tension control system

A tape lamination head, comprising:

• a tape supply reel driven for rotational movement via a first servomotor;
• a backing paper take-up reel driven for rotational movement via a second servomotor;
• and
• a tape tension control system, comprising:
• a first dancer roller assembly located downstream of the tape supply reel accepting composite tape carried by the tape supply reel, the first dancer roller assembly comprising a first roller, a first guide, a first actuator, a first lock, and a first position sensor, the first roller carried by the first guide and moveable on the first guide via the first actuator, movement of the first roller on the first guide lockable via the first lock, and the first position sensor detecting the position of the first roller on the first guide;
• a second dancer roller assembly located upstream of the backing paper take-up reel accepting backing paper pulled from the composite tape carried by the tape supply reel, the second dancer roller assembly comprising a second roller, a second guide, a second actuator, a second lock, a second position sensor, the second roller carried by the second guide and moveable on the second guide via the second actuator, movement of the second roller on the second guide lockable via the second lock, and the second position sensor detecting the position of the second roller on the second guide;
• wherein, in one mode of operation, the first lock is set in an unlocked state, the first roller is moved to a first location on the first guide via the first actuator, and the tape tension control system seeks to maintain the first roller at the first location based on detected positions of the first roller on the first guide via the first position sensor and by adjusting rotational velocity of the tape supply reel via the first servomotor.