Insight

The fastener industry is adopting advanced materials and digital technologies to improve the efficiency, safety and durability of fasteners, enabling increasingly sophisticated applications in a wide range of sectors. With innovation guiding every aspect of DOSS, the company is focused on addressing market needs with cutting edge technologies, as well as rising to the challenges new markets present.

One of these challenges includes the adoption of advanced materials, with a growing demand for lightweight and high strength materials due to the growth of the aerospace and automotive industries – both driving factors in the growth of the specialised fastener market. That is why DOSS designs and manufactures innovative visual inspection systems that are capable of adapting to various production needs in terms of materials to be inspected, defects to be identified, sorting times, as well as logistical requirements. 

Since 1995, DOSS has been working with companies that manufacture rubber, silicone, plastic and metal components for the automotive, pharmaceutical, industrial and fashion sectors – helping to satisfy the standard of 100% quality control.

With the trend of digital technologies, DOSS is constantly investing in new technologies to design easy to use, more sustainable machines, as well as introducing Artificial Intelligence (AI) and deep learning to simplify use and optimise processes. Thanks to intelligent sensors and connected devices, it is possible to monitor the status of fasteners in ‘real time’, preventing failures or loosening before problems arise. This digitalisation also allows predictive maintenance, helping to extend the useful life of fasteners and reduce maintenance costs.

DOSS machines are also able to collect and transmit a large set of information, thus contributing to the creation of an advanced business process oriented towards the design/industrialisation of products, as well as the sustainability of products and business processes for an increasingly digital and interconnected factory.

“Italy is the second largest manufacturing industry in Europe and we are going through a delicate period in our history. The digital revolution has changed the way we produce and design products, and services, and now the world economy has the test of sustainability ahead of it, but the challenges are global,” comments DOSS Visual Solution Srl. “If we want to remain at the top of global manufacturing we have to be able to manage increasingly complex logistics systems, control the reliability of supply chains and absorb economic shocks. As well as this, we must be able to react flexibly to increasingly less predictable environmental changes – such as a circular economy and supply chain issues. We also need to be able to react to challenges common to small and large businesses.”

With the transition towards a circular economy, important employment opportunities are opening up considering the transition towards the green economy, which represents a prerequisite for the survival of manufacturing and the digital gap. “Data is a key factor for circular economy, which is why digital transformation must be accelerated in those situations where the path still needs to be completed,” reports DOSS. “Automation and AI have definitively entered the heart of industrial production to improve both the precision and efficiency of operations. For instance, DOSS AI can analyse images and data with accuracy that far exceeds humans, detecting tiny defects that might be missed during manual inspections. Automation also enables processes to be sped up, reducing risks for operators.” 

As well as this benefit, DOSS vision algorithms can process and analyse large amounts of data in very short times, significantly accelerating quality control and reducing production downtime. AI models, as well as cobots, can also be trained and reconfigured for different types of products or production lines, making the tools scalable and adaptable to different needs. There is also the benefit of integration with other systems for even more comprehensive quality control. 

“The potential of these technologies goes far beyond the automation of repetitive tasks. The ultimate goal is to raise production standards to unprecedented levels, guaranteeing superior quality products. The synergy between human capabilities and AI not only increases efficiency, but also enriches the workplace with new skills and stimulating challenges,” explains DOSS.

An example of this is DOSS ROBOTICS – an automated robot integrated with vision control to automate both visual inspection and the piece handling processes within production. DOSS robots can take parts directly from a customer’s machinery and transfer them to the inspection station – where they are analysed in detail to ensure accurate quality control over the entire surface of the part.

“Now that the world has become smaller and faster, only the ones who will know how to be creative and competent in the development of innovation will be able to exploit multi-sector applications and gain success. The era of competence has begun,” states DOSS.

The company adds: “We have always worked to make our machines increasingly sustainable and reduce the already low energy impact. The transition to a sustainable business model is no easy feat but it is essential for us – with management committed to sustainability, considering it a strategic priority for the business."  

As part of this commitment, an analysis of the company’s current situation in terms of sustainability has been planned for 2025 – with the goal to identify areas for improvement, risks and opportunities linked to environmental, as well as social and economic aspects. As part of this goal, DOSS will be informing and educating employees, suppliers, customers and other stakeholders on the importance of sustainability and how the company contributes to it, by implementing a monitoring system to measure progress towards sustainability objectives with annual reports.