The method is proposed based on volume element in order to measure the manipulator’s robotic kinematics manipulability. Then studied the series redundant automatic fiber placement robotic manipulator’s operation space, draw the conclusion that the greater of the robotic manipulator’s operation space volume, the better of the robotic manipulator’s manipulability, volume element based on redundant robotic manipulator’s kinematics is proposed as an operational performance index. n-DOF serial robotic manipulator’s operation space is n-dimensional Riemannian manifold, the n-dimensional Riemannian manifold volume is calculated using the moving coordinate system and the exterior product definition in differential geometry and get the robotic manipulator’s operation space volume then compared the obtained results with the operation space volume using inner product determinant in the literature, it shows that the volume element as a kinematics operational performance index is feasible.