Prepreg composite material ply and backing separation systems and methods

A method for separating a ply from a backing by using a separating system, the backing comprising a first surface facing away from the ply, the ply comprising a second surface facing away from the backing, and the backing and the ply together defining a corner, the separating system comprising a first support, a second support, and a corner displacer, the method comprising:

• contacting the first support against the first surface and the second support against the second surface such that the corner is disposed apart from the first support and the second support;
• actuating the corner displacer to displace the corner in a first direction and an opposite second direction to thereby bend portions of the ply and the backing between the corner and the first support and the second support, the portions of the ply and the backing thereby separating from each other;
• and
• relatively displacing the separated portions of the ply and the backing away from each other, and other portions of the ply and the backing thereby separating from each other.