To generate course head assignments for a multihead composite material application machine having a set of heads, a set of paths for a ply for a composite part is received and it is determined whether each path of the set of paths complies with a head characteristic for the set of heads. In addition, a special head of the set of heads is assigned to a non-standard path of the set of paths in response to determining the non-standard path does not comply with the head characteristic and ones of the set of heads are assigned to corresponding ones of the set of paths in response to the ones of the set of paths being in compliance with the head characteristics. Furthermore, a constellation of head locations is calculated in response to the set of paths being in compliance with the head characteristic and the set of heads are assigned to the constellation of head locations in response to calculating the constellation of head locations.