DOT Code Validation for Every Tyre, Inline and in Two Seconds
YAFE reads and validates the full DOT code and the live week code on every tyre while it moves on the conveyor, with no stopping and no rotation. One hundred percent validation, not a first article sample.
Why DOT code validation is not optional
The DOT code, formally the Tire Identification Number or TIN, is required under United States federal rule 49 CFR Part 574. Every new tyre must carry a 13 symbol TIN permanently molded into one sidewall, and the DOT symbol certifies the tyre meets the applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
The final four digits are the date code: the first two are the week of manufacture and the last two are the year. A tyre or tire built in the ninth week of 2026 reads 0926. The entire reason this code exists is traceability for recalls.
A tyre that carries a wrong, missing, or unreadable DOT code cannot be traced. That is exactly the kind of marking defect that pulls a batch off the market. DOT code verification is not a quality nicety — it is a legal requirement with direct recall exposure.
Tire Identification Number — Annotated
The final four digits are the date code. The first two are the week, the last two are the year.
Mid-Run Failures — What a First Article Misses
Why a first article check is not enough
Many plants validate the first tyre of a run and assume the rest are fine. They are not. The week code changes every single week, so a setup that was correct last week is wrong this week if the date insert was not updated.
The date code is formed by a changeable slug in the mould, and that slug can work loose, fall out, or sit misplaced partway through a run. Tyres that started correct can drift to non compliant with nobody watching.
A first article sample catches none of this. The only way to guarantee compliance is to validate the DOT code and week code on every tyre and tire, and to confirm the DOT code and the traceability barcode land on the same sidewall.
How YAFE does it differently
Almost every other supplier reads the sidewall with a 3D scanner that has to stop the tyre and rotate it a full 360 degrees to capture the marking, around 30 seconds per tyre. That turns inspection into a bottleneck.
YAFE was the first to validate the DOT code inline, on the moving conveyor, with no stopping and no rotation, in about two seconds per tyre. Inspection keeps pace with production instead of slowing it down. Custom OCR handles curved sidewalls, low contrast lettering, and real shop floor lighting, so it reads reliably where generic vision fails.
What every tyre is checked for
- The full DOT code and TIN are present, complete, and legible.
- The week code matches the correct week of manufacture.
- The DOT code and the traceability barcode are on the same sidewall.
- Misprints, missing characters, and misplaced markings are flagged in real time.
DOT Code and Barcode — Same Sidewall
Both the DOT code and the traceability barcode must appear on the same sidewall. YAFE confirms this on every tyre.
Proven at 15,000 tyres a day
At Apollo Tyres, YAFE validates DOT codes inline at up to 15,000 tyres per day, with zero DOT errors reaching the market and zero impact on conveyor speed. The system runs continuously across shifts, flagging any tyre or tire with a missing, incorrect, or unreadable DOT code before it leaves the production area.
The deployment covers the full inline DOT code inspection requirement: reading the TIN, validating the week code against the current production week, confirming the barcode and DOT code are on the same sidewall, and logging every result for traceability.
Read the Apollo Tyres case study
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about DOT code validation, the TIN requirement, and how inline inspection works.
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