March 11, 2008

The Postal Service has issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on new machinability standards for letter-size booklets and folded self-mailers. Letter-size catalogs have become more popular since the rates for flat-size catalogs increased so much last year. Many "Slim Jim" type pieces jam letter automation equipment and/or sustain significant damage during processing, so the USPS often runs them on flat-sorting equipment at a much greater cost. Therefore, the Postal Service is in the process of developing new automation mail preparation standards for letter-size booklets and folded self-mailers that more accurately characterize which pieces can be run on their primary letter-sorting equipment.

Initial Test Results

The Postal Service has completed the first wave of testing mailpieces designed with physical characteristics common to industry products: size, thickness, cover stock, tab style, tab strength, tab location and binding. In this notice, they are reporting the results of the first phase of testing to provide the industry with the earliest possible tests results and the opportunity to comment.

Important Characteristics were found to be in this order: thickness, tab integrity then cover stock.

Thickness:

• USPS tested two mailpiece thicknesses: 1/16” and 1/8”
• 1/16" thick mailpieces ran with jam and damage rates somewhat higher than the rates associated with similar enveloped letters, as long as the tabs remained in place and did not break.
• 1/8" thick mailpieces sustained unacceptable rates of jams and damage.

Tab Integrity

• USPS tested 1" paper tabs of various paper strengths with both perforated and non- perforated as well as 1" plastic tabs with two levels of perforation
• The plastic tab with the weakest perforations readily broke in processing, yielding unacceptable levels of jams and damage.
• All other tabs the USPS tested performed reasonably well except when fed with the tabs on the bottom of the pieces.

Cover Stock

• 20 and 28-pound bond cover stock was tested.
• 28-pound bond cover stock performed better.

A second wave of testing will determine and verify the specific limits on each characteristic for automation-compatible booklets and folded self-mailers.

USPS Future Investigations

• To what extent pieces between 1/16” and 1/8” thick will process acceptably.
• Whether there is a (not-yet-tested) variety of closure or configuration that will make 1/8” thick pieces acceptable.
• The impact of lightweight pages or having the spine on the short edge (i.e., the leading edge).
• A means to certify and mark acceptable tabs.
• Perforation makes it difficult to inspect tab strength
• Perforated plastic tabs are especially problematic, as they raise additional issues with adhesive bonding and leakage

The USPS plans to provide new standards for these characteristics in a future rule:

• Surface friction, static attraction, and tear strength on the cover.
• Tab adhesives; tab application; and compatibility with current letter trays.

The USPS is asking for suggestions:

• Any new or alternative booklet construction techniques that will improve machine performance on 1/8” and 1/16” booklets.
• Tab adhesive.
• Impact of prohibiting perforated tabs until certification procedures are developed.

All comments will be due no later than 30 days from the official date of publication in an upcoming Federal Register.

Full details can be found here.

Ron Sing
Quebecor World Logistics
630-343-4729