to removal of tape 204 dancer roller 210 further facilitates a smooth removal of tape 204 from spool 202 and facilitates removal of tape backing 216 in one embodiment take up roller 220 may be a passive or non powered freely rotating take up roll the axis of take up roller 220 is substantially parallel to the axis of spool 202 take up roller 220 has the capacity to accept the entire length of backing film 216 from spool 202 as tape 204 unwinds from spool 202 fig3 is a simplified top view of a backing removal system 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention in one embodiment backing removal system 300 includes spool 202 dancer roller 210 and take up roller 220 which may be driven by tape 204 as tape 204 is drawn from spool 202 toward compaction roller 218 fig2 in one operational embodiment tape 204 is de spooled with backing film 216 attached backing film 216 is attached to take up roller 220 which is free to rotate as tape 204 continues to unwind from spool 202 and traverse around take up roller 220 backing film 216 is pulled away or separated from tape 204 and continues to wrap around take up roller 220 tape 204 continues to traverse path 208 after traversing take up roller 220 with backing film 216 having been removed in this manner tape 204 drives take up roller 220 as the tape laying or fiber placement proceeds while the present invention is described above with respect to what is currently considered its preferred embodiments it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that described.