Equipment, Hardware and Supplies

[County]

We purchased a new DM1000 (shape and weight compliant).   We received notice from USPS that much or our outgoing letter size mail has insufficient funds imprinted.  These are mail pieces that are over 1/4" thick but weigh less than 3.5 ounces.  Our DM1000 is rating this mail with letter charges when in fact they should be flat rate charges.   PB sales and Engineering was contacted months ago about this problem and keep telling us they are looking into it.  Have not heard anymore from them.  Is there anyone out there who has a DM1000 experiencing this problem ?

[CleDvy]

We'd be interested in hearing about this, too.  We use two DM1000s, but it sounds like our post office is being a little more forgiving about letting our letter-size mail over 1/4" thick go through (so far) with the lower postage.  We have, however, noticed that a number of mailpieces that the DM1000 is imprinting with the letter rate should be imprinted with the flat/large envelope postage, by manually measuring the thickness with the template we got from the USPS.  Personally, I think the machine is just squishing the envelope enough to measure under 1/4" as it runs through, and it's popping back up to its original thickness when it comes out...

[Pepper]

We use the PB template religiously as well. This shape based detector they installed last year has

been useless. I agree that it is probably smashing down the letter so it reads under 1/4". Whenever we

see a really thick envelope we get out the template and check it out. 

[CoreyMN]

I would have a PB tech check your thickness sensor to make sure it is working properly.  I believe they can make it more sensitive as well. Also put as many letters in a tray as you can in order to flatten out the thicker ones.

The problem though is that determing thickness can be very subjective. The same with stiffness.  One US postal center might say it's a flat, another might say it's a letter, and from my experience PB thinks you can force the letter through the thickness template while the US Post Office here told me it had to fit through the template on its own gravity.

My solution is to have my staff hand meter the thicker ones rather than relying on the not so reliable thickness sensor. Also, some of these letters are just too puffy and I have encouraged the departments to switch to a larger envelope or insert them better.

[County]

Document I received from USPS Business Mail Acceptance through our PB Sales Rep.  This may help clear up the guide USPS claims they go by.

Using Notice 3A, Letter-size Mail Dimensional Standards Temple to Measure the Maximum Thickness of a Letter (1/4 inch)

The Procedures below should be followed:

     *  Insert the mailpiece into the 1/4 inch measurement slot on the Notice 3A template; while using minimal effort, gently push

        the piece into the slot until the piece passes through the slot completely.

     *  Pieces that pass through the slot without bending (the template or the piece), jamming or tearing are acceptable for the

        letter rates of postage.

     *  Pieces that will not pass through the slot, pieces that bend, pieces that jam, and pieces that tear are not acceptable for the

        letter rates of postage.

This helps us to determine the accepted thickness for letter rate but does not help the problem our DM1000 does not perform as advertised.  Does someone at PB have an acceptable explanation for this?

[PB-Michael · Accepted solution]

We realize that it is challenging to get a single thickness measurement for puffy mail, where the contents can be squeezed, and may produce differing values. Our product design has evolved in the last year (since the introduction of Shape Based Rating) to increase the accuracy of thickness measurements by our automated mailing systems. Pitney Bowes now has a kit available for your product that may answer your concerns. Please contact our Call Center (800-522-0020) and request a service call to install the 'Puffy Mail' kit for your DM1000.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We hope this gives you greater confidence in the rating of mail.

Message Edited by PB-Jeremy on 06-02-2008 09:57 AM

[Pepper]

We just had a technician come out last week and we were discussing the inaccuracies of the

shape based kit due to the puffy envelopes. Is this puffy kit something we have to pay for?  I am wondering why he never mentioned this.

[PB-Michael]

---

Pepper wrote:

We just had a technician come out last week and we were discussing the inaccuracies of the

shape based kit due to the puffy envelopes. Is this puffy kit something we have to pay for?  I am wondering why he never mentioned this.

---

Pepper -

That's because you Forum users are ahead of the curve on this! The kit is still in manufacturing and there won't be a general announcement of its availability until we have a sufficient number in stock.  However, I spoke with the product manager and we have a limited number available now. If you would like to receive one of these, please send me a private message with your contact info and Customer Account Number (CAN) -- don't post personal info in the public space.

• To send a Private Message, click on my name at left then select "Send this user a private  message" in the right column.
• To check your Private Messages, click the "x Messages" link and icon in the upper right corner of any page.

 -- Michael

[PB-Michael]

I just got confirmation on this -- there will not be a charge for the Puffy Mail Kit upgrade for customers who have an Equipment Maintainence Agreement.  It is considered a "fix."