In the technical field of composite fiber placement, the tool presetting strategy of free surface component is a key factor to judge the mould manufacturing precision and determine the component manufacturing quality. With the help of laser ranging probe setting at the pressure roller of fiber placement head, every tool presetting point and checking point can be probed. According to those probe results, the mould manufacturing precision and adjusting precision can be checked. Based on the probed data, aiming at disposable moulds with low cost and reusable moulds with high precision respectively, we propose the setting method and tool presetting strategy about mould tool presetting points. And the experimental free surface fiber placement is conducted to validate the tool presetting strategy. The tool presetting problem of complex free surface component can be solved effectively by using this tool presetting strategy.