®

Flats Track for Periodicals, Catalogs & Printers

Automating Flat Mail Preparation in the Future

Automating Flat Mail Preparation in the Future

Anita Pursley – Worldcolor

Brent Raney - USPS

National Postal Forum

®

Flats Track for Periodicals, Catalogs & Printers – NPF 2010 2

National Postal Forum

®

Volume Reduction is driving changes to:

• Distribution Network

• Delivery processes

• Processing operations

• Mail preparation

• Mail entry locations

• Mail arrival times

How does this impact you and your business?

AgendaAgenda

Flats Track for Periodicals, Catalogs & Printers – NPF 2010 3

National Postal Forum

®

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009Vol (Bil) 58.2 57.8 51.7 52.4 53.9 53.8 52.4 45.9 39.6

RPW

Flat volume decline FY 2009 -13.8%Flat volume decline FY 2009 -13.8%

FY 2005 – FY 2009Flat volume decline 26%

14.3 billion fewer flats annually

FY 2005 – FY 2009Flat volume decline 26%

14.3 billion fewer flats annually

Declining Volume -- Action ImperativeDeclining Volume -- Action Imperative

Flats Track for Periodicals, Catalogs & Printers – NPF 2010 4

National Postal Forum

®

Flats Process TodayFlats Process Today

Mailers

Bundle Distribution Bundle Prep Piece Distribution Delivery

Flats Track for Periodicals, Catalogs & Printers – NPF 2010 5

National Postal Forum

®

Eliminate Non-Value Added Work/ProcessesEliminate Non-Value Added Work/Processes

Mailers

Bundle Distribution Bundle Prep Piece Distribution Delivery

Flats Track for Periodicals, Catalogs & Printers – NPF 2010 6

National Postal Forum

®

Flats Process FutureFlats Process Future

Mailers

Flats Sequencing

Delivery

Automated BundlePreparation

Flats Track for Periodicals, Catalogs & Printers – NPF 2010 7

National Postal Forum

®

USPS & IndustryFocus of process improvements

Overview of Flat ProcessOverview of Flat Process

Print

CreateMailing

Bind

PersonalizeStitch/Staple

Strap / Wrap

Strap/wrapbundles

Palletize

Load bundles & wrap pallets

DesignMailing

Mailer

Deliver

Integrate flats / letters & deliver

Sort & Sequence

Piece distributionManual /

AFSM & FSS

Flat Prep

Unwrap / un-strap bundles

Dump & Sort

BundleDistribution

APPS / SPBS

Unload & Transfer

Flow to bundle distribution or dock transfer

Mail Owner Mail Preparer

USPS

Flats Track for Periodicals, Catalogs & Printers – NPF 2010 8

National Postal Forum

®

1. MTAC 58, 2000 – 2002● Preparing Flats Using Alternate Packaging

2. MTAC 71, 2002 – 2003● Flats Container Development

3. MTAC 81, 2003 – 2005● Flat Mail Preparation Optimization

4. MTAC 96, 2005 – 2007 Develop Interface to AFSM 100 Auto-Induction Process

5. MTAC 101, 2006 - 2007● Address Location for Flats Sequencing System

6. MTAC 115, 2007 – 2009● Requirements for preparation and entry of flat mail in the Flats

Sequencing System (FSS) environment.

7. MTAC 134, 2010 - TBD● Implementing FSS Presort Parameters

Joint USPS / Industry WorkgroupsJoint USPS / Industry Workgroups

Flats Track for Periodicals, Catalogs & Printers – NPF 2010 9

National Postal Forum

®

Mailer Logs (MTAC WG71) Ft. Myers● Idea

Create logs of finished books similar to signatures (pages) used in binding process

● Issues Required Counter-stacking of books within log Required change to finishing lines Required Mailer Development/Investment of new

equipment

History of Flat Prep OptimizationHistory of Flat Prep Optimization

Output: Standardized Prep and Ai at the AFSM100

Flats Track for Periodicals, Catalogs & Printers – NPF 2010 10

National Postal Forum

®

Ship Mail in ACTs/Dollies (MTAC WG96)● Idea

Mailers prepare and ship flats in ACTs on Dollies or on pallets

● Issues Not as cube efficient as pallets, could double

trucking requirements Required large space to store empty stock at

mailer plants

MTAC Workgroups Refined SolutionsMTAC Workgroups Refined Solutions

Output: Ship Bundles on the Auto-Ready Pallet

Flats Track for Periodicals, Catalogs & Printers – NPF 2010 11

National Postal Forum

®

Standard Size Bundles (MTAC WG115)● Idea

Mailers prepare and ship flats in standard size bundles on pallets with strap-only or belly band

● Benefits Combining multiple flats flows on one pallet lead to

shipping efficiencies Utilized existing equipment in mailer plants Paved way for new efficiency opportunities

Solution: Single Flats FlowSolution: Single Flats Flow

Output: Multi-Scheme Pallets and Automated Flat Prep

Flats Track for Periodicals, Catalogs & Printers – NPF 2010 12

National Postal Forum

®

Adopt “Auto-Ready” Pallet Finishing Process

“…preferred method for the Ai environment as

we move toward FSS” The Auto Ready Pallet considers the

output of a mail preparer as the input to a piece of postal automation – either AFSM-ai or FSS.

6 sort plans

Outcome of MTAC EffortsOutcome of MTAC Efforts

Flats Track for Periodicals, Catalogs & Printers – NPF 2010 13

National Postal Forum

®

3.5 – 5.5” (+- .5”) bundles

Bindings aligned within the bundle

Barcoded Flats – 11 digit IMB or Postnet

Multiple schemes per pallet

Cross-Strap (2) preparation - Centered ± 2”

Counter-stacking of bundles on pallets allowed for stability

Auto-Ready PalletAuto-Ready Pallet

Flats Track for Periodicals, Catalogs & Printers – NPF 2010 14

National Postal Forum

®

Automated Flats ProcessorAutomated Flats Processor

Developed a prototype system “Automated Flats Processor” (AFP) to improve:

● Productivity of bundle processing

● Equipment space required to process daily volume

● Capability to accept multi-zone pallets

● Flats auto processing – induction to piece sorting

Flats Track for Periodicals, Catalogs & Printers – NPF 2010 15

National Postal Forum

®

Automated Flat Processor Key FunctionsAutomated Flat Processor Key Functions

Auto Depalletize Bundles – automatically unloads bundles from pallets

Distribute Bundles - based on sort plans with OEL readability – convey & prep bundles for processing

Process Bundles – cut and remove bundle strapping and load bundles into ACTs

Make Dollies – produce sort plan based dollies

Dispatch Dollies – full ACTs, produced for specific sort plans, released for induct into flats sorting equipment

Flats Track for Periodicals, Catalogs & Printers – NPF 2010 16

National Postal Forum

®

Automated Flat Processor OverviewAutomated Flat Processor Overview

De-palletized bundlesBundle Buffer/Sort

Make Dollies

Stack ACTsCut Straps and Load ACTs

Flats Track for Periodicals, Catalogs & Printers – NPF 2010 17

National Postal Forum

®

VIDEO

Flats Track for Periodicals, Catalogs & Printers – NPF 2010 18

National Postal Forum

®

AFP Bundle/Containers TestedAFP Bundle/Containers Tested

Bundle / Container testing:● Built on auto-ready pallet

concept

● Evaluated – uniform bundle heights, compensation of bundles, containerization, and bundle securing methods

● Determined counter-stacked bundles of uniform height travel well through transportation / distribution system

Flats Track for Periodicals, Catalogs & Printers – NPF 2010 19

National Postal Forum

®

AFP Bundle/Containers TestedAFP Bundle/Containers Tested

Bundle securing methods tested:● Two cross-straps around

length and girth

● Shrinkwrap “bellyband” with a single-strap as alternative to strap only

● Shrinkwrap “bellyband” only

Flats Track for Periodicals, Catalogs & Printers – NPF 2010 20

National Postal Forum

®

Workgroup ActivitiesWorkgroup Activities

Evaluated potential pallet makeups:● Pure FSS (single scheme)

● Pure FSS (multiple schemes)

● Combined FSS and non-FSS

Assessed impact of volume reduction● Volume reduction has required more ZIP Codes and FSS sites

than original plan● Some original sites receiving fewer machines● Volume reduction makes preparation of FSS single-scheme pallets

more difficult

Considered single preparation solution● Lowest end-to-end cost achieved with one bundle preparation

method● Prep compatible with FSS and AFSM process

Flats Track for Periodicals, Catalogs & Printers – NPF 2010 21

National Postal Forum

®

Test FindingsTest Findings

Auto-ready pallet prep will allow bundles to flow directly to the bundle prep operation and bypass APPS processing

Multiple sort plans (up to 6) can be accommodated by AFP

Bundles with optimal heights of 3”, 4” and 6” processed with no issues

Bundles with cross-straps (± 2” from center) processed with no issues

Bundles with one strap and one bellywrap processed with few issues

Flats Track for Periodicals, Catalogs & Printers – NPF 2010 22

National Postal Forum

®

22

Automated Pallet Unloader

Cut, Stack & Load

Dolly Maker

ACT Stacker/Destacker

Bundle Handling System

Tray Handling System

Production Automated Flat Processor ConfigurationProduction Automated Flat Processor Configuration

Flats Track for Periodicals, Catalogs & Printers – NPF 2010 23

National Postal Forum

®

What’s required to earn a certificate? Attend five workshops of the Flats Track for

Periodicals, Catalogs and Printers

How do I get my certificate? Register for your certificate on the National Postal

Forum Website before July 31, 2010 www.npf.org Answer the three true/false questions for each of

the five sessions you attended Certificates will be mailed upon certification

Flats Track Certificate ProgramFlats Track Certificate Program

Flats Track for Periodicals, Catalogs & Printers – NPF 2010 24

National Postal Forum

®

True or False:

1. Uncompensated bundles are bundles with straps only?

2. The Auto Flat Prep (AFP) allows for more pallets to by-pass any upstream bundle distribution process?

3. An auto ready pallet will provide the capability to accept pallets made with mail for multiple different zones?

Flats Track Certificate ProgramFlats Track Certificate Program

TRUETRUE

TRUETRUE

FALSEFALSE

Flats Track for Periodicals, Catalogs & Printers – NPF 2010 25

National Postal Forum

®