flat sorting machine... anyone work with them general query

stevepostman · Post by **stevepostman** » 26 Mar 2008, 16:29

just a query there havin one installed in Cardiff in May. just wondering what sort of impact would it have in the office.
thanks for all comments.

johnnyp · Post by **johnnyp** » 26 Mar 2008, 17:45

stevepostman wrote:just a query there havin one installed in Cardiff in May. just wondering what sort of impact would it have in the office.
thanks for all comments.

Dont know so much about mail centres but delivery offices will suffer as it will hit inward primary.Once these machines are up and running you can bet your life hours will be sought after in DOs

Post by **osiris** » 26 Mar 2008, 20:31

stevepostman wrote:just a query there havin one installed in Cardiff in May. just wondering what sort of impact would it have in the office.
thanks for all comments.

All depends on your traffic volumes mate.

Obviously, shed loads of your mail, (and neighbouring offices too), will go through the machine, so it's not rocket science to know you will need less people.

Hope you've got a lot of space, cos they are massive.

steviemac · Post by **steviemac** » 26 Mar 2008, 20:46

less sorting means less to do in a delivery office so another round of savings can only lead to re structured walks and longer delivery spec surely? if not longer walks then covering sickness for free will raise it's ugly head. our office is recruiting part timers when full time staff leave and walks have to be thrown off leaving less on the inward sorting. coded trays sequenced and roaded will take even more time away, future looking grim with 4hr delivery spec looming large methinks.

Post by **POSTMAN** » 26 Mar 2008, 20:51

Area rep told us that the machines can't sort the shrink wrapped stuff,like mags ect.
So although it will cut down on some sorting,it wont be that much will it.

Post by **zaphod** » 30 Mar 2008, 18:59

POSTMAN wrote:Area rep told us that the machines can't sort the shrink wrapped stuff,like mags ect.
So although it will cut down on some sorting,it wont be that much will it.

It is also supposed to sort thick A4's, but managers fear putting anything thick through them for fear of jamming the machine up. Also the flat machine is not used in the afternoons, here. Work get's manual sorted then.

Don't worry about its introduction to Cardiff. Where there's a machine, you need manual sorters, and when the machine goes tits up, and it does, there's lot's of manual work. Contrary to any promises given in the run up to your machine being installed, if the machine does breakdown, work will NOT be diverted to another office.

HTH

BELIAL · Post by **BELIAL** » 30 Mar 2008, 22:48

Well Tman is an engineer of 25 yrs. standing, sure he,ll chip in soon to answer any queries

Post by **baldrick** » 30 Mar 2008, 23:02

stevepostman wrote:just a query there havin one installed in Cardiff in May. just wondering what sort of impact would it have in the office.
thanks for all comments.

We're having one installed too. The CWU Branch think it will create more jobs in the office as management
will bring in more flats to keep it running continuously, and as a lot won't be machinable there will still
be a lot that have to be manually sorted.

Post by **zaphod** » 31 Mar 2008, 09:54

baldrick wrote:
stevepostman wrote:just a query there havin one installed in Cardiff in May. just wondering what sort of impact would it have in the office.
thanks for all comments.
We're having one installed too. The CWU Branch think it will create more jobs in the office as management
will bring in more flats to keep it running continuously, and as a lot won't be machinable there will still
be a lot that have to be manually sorted.

That's correct. The flats will be concentrated to the office that has the machine. Bristol, for example takes in flats from as far away as Bournemouth. But this also means that if one concentration office gains work, then others will lose. They do not like plastics - how many businesses used plastics (!) - and becasue of the vast volumes of work that they process, managers are very wary about taking risks with the sort of work that they will let it process.

They are bloody noisy machines, so get some earplugs.

Oh, and when the software fails, or the hardware, come to that, it is usually BIG time.

Post by **oldrope** » 31 Aug 2008, 10:47

Hi, our FSM is the bees knees it will do most things (from pops to A4s 1/4 inch thick) shink wraped ect, you can hardly hear it, very few jams, and runs like a dream.

Post by **zaphod** » 31 Aug 2008, 11:06

Give it time - it will start chewing them up. Besides 0.25 inches/c.6mm is nothing - it was designed to handle 25mm, but, as previously suggested, WAM's fight shy of that.

k979aaa · Post by **k979aaa** » 31 Aug 2008, 12:10

oldrope wrote:Hi, our FSM is the bees knees it will do most things (from pops to A4s 1/4 inch thick) shink wraped ect, you can hardly hear it, very few jams, and runs like a dream.

Call me a luddite but im not impressed.

BELIAL · Post by **BELIAL** » 31 Aug 2008, 21:17

Flat sorting WHAt ,Is that like Puff the magic dragon? When did anyone in a DO last get a walksorted bundle of flats.? Me it's been about three years, even though nights were lost on the strength of 50% flats walksorted

BELIAL · Post by **BELIAL** » 31 Aug 2008, 22:59

Sorry don't mean to sound sceptical but how many DO's now get walksorted flats?

Spedley · Post by **Spedley** » 31 Aug 2008, 23:54

They can't sort the shrink-wrapped stuff or presumably the addresses which can't be read through the little window?

Is there any point ina a flat sorting machine which can't sort 90% of the mail?

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