Research and development

All R&D activities are certified by the Department of Applied Science and Technology of the Polytechnic University of Turin, in accordance with EU regulations.

Many of the most recent and innovative projects have also been carried out in collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Milan.

Research into innovative materials and solutions leads to the development of new integrated systems applied to all our safety devices.

Indeed, we develop exclusive designs to suit any requirement in the nautical, naval, military and aeronautical fields.

EXCLUSIVE SAFETY TECHNOLOGIES

Thanks to their ergonomic features, our life jackets guarantee an optimal position in the water and great stability. In addition, the jackets possess enough buoyancy to rotate and tilt an unconscious person, so as to always keep the airways free from water.

The three-dimensional X3D system with single-compartment flotation chamber is made of PA 420 PU-COATED fabric with electronically-controlled high-frequency welds – a system that ensures quick and immediate rotation of the body in the water.

The special cut and positioning of the foam material plus the rotational and tilt thrust of the body are all guaranteed with the Speed Up system. This is facilitated by the masses positioned on the chest which – thanks to the correct disproportion between left and right and the centralisation in line with the sternum downwards – guarantee the rotational speed and correct degree of tilt of the body.

VACUUM TECHNOLOGY

The advantages of an inflatable life jacket (GDSG) compared to a rigid jacket (FOAM) are many. These include increased portability and safety, derived from the ergonomics and the form of the floating chambers, which shorten the time it takes for a castaway’s body to rotate in the water. This also favours less storage space being required.

Despite such factors, the biggest obstacle to deploying Solas GDSGs on cruise ships is the cost of inspection at the service stations in ports which, according to regulations, must take place every 12 months.

To avoid this impediment, VSG presented and successfully tested the first Authorised On-Board Inspection Station set up on a ship, also dedicated to the implementation of the GDSG SOLAS VACUUM, an innovative product that enables an overhaul programme to be completed on a five-year basis.

This renders it possible to reduce product shipping, delivery and collection costs to zero, whilst also optimising personnel costs given that the staff who complete the inspection is already on board, having been trained by our technicians who are nonetheless always available for remote assistance.

This solution thus proves to be an advantage for everyone, facilitating savings on costs but not on passenger safety.

THE PRODUCTION PROCESS AND TRACEABILITY

With the aim of making inflatable life jackets more reliable, in 1994 Veleria San Giorgio invented the unique product code system. The only manufacturer in the world to employ this type of technology, VSG is now able to identify all raw materials and individual components utilised through unique alphanumeric codes.

Production processes are controlled via software specially developed by VSG, covering 100 per cent of production to allow each product to be traced back to its buyer with absolute precision.

This drastically reduces manufacturing defects (less than 1/10000 of returns), guaranteeing each buyer a unique product in the truest sense of the word and – most importantly – the highest degree of safety in the case of need.

Life Jackets

Safety at sea is our priority. Research, design and production are processes we manage with the utmost care to offer certified personal protective equipment for all nautical fields and with the highest production standards.