Parcel Sorting Machine

[NW11851]

With all due respect, a PSM cannot do that.

It csn sort items up to shoebox size.

It only sorts into DO sleeves.

It hates letters and we have to try to extract them as we slide everything through at the Induction positions.

It’s not keen on the tiny lightweight packets. We extract those and they, too go to manual sorting.

Ours has been provided with fans at each of the 6 Induction positions. There are fans at other strategic positions.

[walthmstowman]

After what seems an eternity work has started on the instillation of a PSM at Medway MC
Talking to our shift manager it’s going to be up and running around the middle of the year
For those in the know
1-Are they any good ?
2-How were the duties allocated to work on it?
3-Do they sort inward and outward/1c-2c?
4-Do they sort T24/T48?
5-Did the installation of a machine trigger VRs at the plant?

Our one keeps breaking down and then there's no plan B. It can sort T24 and 48 but kicks out loads of rejects . It can't handle the ASOS returns especially if they have handles . Plus it can't handle tubes , or as our instructor said, " Rolly things". It's not a bad machine but as usual our management have over sold it .

[NW11851]

Yes, ours is excellent.

It can handle most mail but ejects SD and International items.

As well as tubes and stuff that can roll snout, we’ve been told to try to extract ultra-light items and letters. The latter cause micro-stops which can slow up the machine.

Currently, on a good shift, the 6 on the Induct roll can input >10k items per hour.

There’s another 7 staff at ground floor level, plus a supervisor and a Manager.

[SpacePhoenix]

The "ultra light items" I'm guessing are the really small ones, like the Chinese stuff. I know Solystic did at one time make a machine that's ideally suited to sorting the Chinese type packets, wonder if RM have ever looked into the feasibility/viability of having some

[dazg]

If I am not mistaken Medway are getting a newer version of the PSM from a different supplier which may be a good thing. I think currently only Tyneside have this newer type of PSM.

And Chester - although not installed yet

Chester psm has been up and running for 6 months.

[dazg]

Can anyone say how the job is on a Psm,regars graft.??.
Is it hard work and constant or is it steady?.
Also do you go on different parts and rotate the various jobs?

Once you get the hang if it, the work is pretty easy IMHO. The sorting on the induction is pretty boring and if it was up to me I'd be on the tipper all day, as its a challenge to keep the belt full, due to half full sleeves, big parcels jamming in, neatly packed square parcels jamming hard and blocking it all, etcetera etcetera. We slowly got the hang of it and learned all the tricks. For Instance, making sure the the yellow tabs are secure on the new sleeves, which impedes them "concentenering" together (if there is such a word) and blocking packets falling out.

We do rotate every two hours, so we do all jobs during the day. IE, sorter, tipper, induction, sleeve porter, and manual induction.

Our main problem is the new Warrington behemoth stealing all our work, now we've got the hang of it. leaving us nowt to do. We're sick of seeing OUR work get sent back out again to Warrington unsorted when we could easily do it ourselves. But nothing must get in the way of the RM narrative of the success story of the new Warrington monster machine. I know its taking work from a large area.

PS I really miss the old crash sorts and the cammerardery they brought. Where we could all chat as we worked. It made the day a pleasure.

Sigh!... ever onward

[SpacePhoenix]

Our main problem is the new Warrington behemoth stealing all our work, now we've got the hang of it. leaving us nowt to do. We're sick of seeing OUR work get sent back out again to Warrington unsorted when we could easily do it ourselves. But nothing must get in the way of the RM narrative of the success story of the new Warrington monster machine. I know its taking work from a large area.

RM need to decide if they want the PSMs in the super hubs or in MCs. There's not the traffic for both

[dazg]

RE: headphones.
Are headphones or ear buds allowed on anyone's psm? Most mangers don't care if they are worn on the sit down job, ie the inducts. As we are sitting down anyway. The h & s bod is pushing for a ban but he will be ignored as a precedent has now long been set, over many years In the rest of the mail centre's machines. " we turn a blind eye " one wam was heard to say. But as long as throughput are OK they all do.

I remember one night shift manager used to encourage it as he believed music helped people sort faster

What is done at other mail centres? One compromise suggested was using bone detection over the ear phones, or just having one side in.. what do other places do ??

[MazH]

We were told not to wear earphones on the machine at our mail centre.

[NW11851]

When I joined I was told ‘One earpiece only’.

[PDAHappy]

At my MC NO ear buds, headphones etc if your working with any machinery on the day and late shift (apparently it’s a Health and Safety issue).On the night shift anything goes!

[PDAHappy]

PS Wasn’t allowed to use a bone conduction headphones either.

[Tman]

What's the point of machines having start alarms if you're going to allow operators to wear headphones etc? The usual joke H&S standards of RM in general.