By Dan Fisher
For many, the processing and handling of
the world's mail is a mystery. Yet, customers place millions of letters in
mailboxes, knowing they will be delivered accurately and quickly.
Automation is the backbone of mail
sortation, with only the most qualified processing clerks operating the
controls, mainly the Delivery Bar Code Sorter model (DBCS) letter machines.
Since the 1990s, DBCS has been the successor to the Multi-Position Letter
Sorting Machine to improve the speed and accuracy of mail processing and the
timely delivery of mail for carriers nationwide. Each DBCS is comprised of
modules that hold 16 pockets each plus a feeder module. Shelf units are used to store mail for the next
operation that has already been processed.
DBCS can hold up to 302 pocket
stackers. Pocket stackers store processed mail in the DBCS called
modules. Shelf units are used to store mail for the next operation that
has already been processed.
"To operate the DBCS at its best is
about how you prepare the machine and manage the run," said Tammy Duval, a
clerk at the Manasota Processing Center in Sarasota, FL. "There are two
clerks required to operate the DBCS: a feeder for putting mail in and a sweeper
that collects mail from each stacker and places them into its designated
tray."
When processing mail for delivery, the
DBCS conducts an operation called zone mailing: First pass and second
pass. First pass sorts the mail by stop on each route. For example, the
first bin on the machine is every carrier in Venice’s first stop, the
second bin is every carrier’s second stop, etc. Second pass sorts the mail to
individual carriers. The first bin would be all of a
single carrier’s mail in order of their delivery route. Example, the
first 5 pieces are for their first stop, the next 5 pieces are for their second
stop, etc.
While most mail is processed, producing
an average accuracy estimate of 99 percent, unprocessed mail or rejects are
transported for a re-run on a different operation for rejected mail to minimize
manual sortation at the stations.
If any signs of jams or wear and tear
occur, whether a torn belt or a broken stacker paddle, clerks identify the
problem and contact maintenance.
Maintenance is also required to conduct
daily scheduled procedures to test the machine for its speed and
accuracy.
With automation like DBCS taking center stage,
the world's mail continues to be delivered fast and accurately. Automation
should inspire customer confidence.
Dan Fisher is a
freelance journalist who works as a Tour 1 PSE Mail Processing
Clerk at the Manasota P&DC. His articles have appeared in various
Florida magazines.
