Editor’s note: This month, Newspapers & Technology, in conjunction with the Post Press Federation and Perfect Pallets Inc., is debuting a question-and-answer column aimed at postproduction issues. Topics and associated responses originate from the Federation’s free online forum. Membership information and other details about the Federation, sponsored and managed by Perfect Pallets, can be found at www.perfectpalletspostpress.com.

Topic: Skid weight

Q: Does anybody have a skidding matrix that quickly tells you the height and amount of bundles that can be placed on a skid depending upon web size, format and page count?

Response: If you are trying to determine bundles per skid, we take a page of newsprint (.003-inch) and multiply that by the number of pages and then add all the inserts (measured with a micrometer). Add it all together and we have determined that our comics translates into less than 6 inches per bundle and about 10 inches for our news/advance. We stack 11 bundles to a layer and our skid cutoff height is five feet.

Follow-up: The problem I face is that I’m trying to establish a standard for product that comes right off the press to product that goes through bindery. This way, there will be no shortage/overage and I can get total skid weights to common carriers, etc. We print so many different-sized products that it’s been difficult to determine how many (products) go either in a layer or bundle. What I would like is to put something together that would let operators quickly determine if the product is “X” amount of pages, the web stock is “X” amount of inches and the run amount is “X,” then there would be so many per bundle, per layer, per pallet and the pallet will weigh this much and be this tall.  

Response: We use piece weight instead of thickness to determine bundle size and pallet/cart heights. We multiply the weight of all pieces in pounds (preprints plus jackets) by bundle size to determine the weight. Bundle weight times number per layer times number of layers gets us pallet weight. For us, our bundle maximum is 20 pounds off inserter and 35 pounds off press. Our pallet maximum weight is 1,100 pounds and that keeps (our pallets) around 4.5-feet tall. On advance runs we normally use the heaviest weight of any one package type. For our TMC product we break it out by ZIP code and set bundle sizes to 13 pounds and under.

Response: Here is what we use to figure out skid weights. All of our skids are 11 in layer and five high. Payload formula: Page weight (.0103)-by-number of pages-by-draw equals payload. Here’s a sample: .0103-by-64-by-9,000 equals 15,525 pounds.

Topic: Rotation of feeders

Q: How often, if at all, does the rest of the industry rotate people on inserting machines. We currently rotate at first break, lunch and second break. Employees say this isn’t often enough.

Response: At one newspaper at which I worked, the feeders on the machine moved around every 30 minutes throughout the entire shift. Where I work now people stay on the same head/heads for the entire shift. Shifts only last as long as production dictates so it’s not usually more than four hours at a time. They do an excellent job and have no trouble mastering products and ensuring good feeds.

Response: We do not rotate hopper feeders during the shift. We try to rotate the feeders each day so the same person does not get stuck running the (more difficult) inserts every day. We have tried to pay extra for pre-inserted packages as a way to keep quality feeders on these packages and this works well. Our feeders feed two to three hoppers most days, depending on size.

Response: We usually rotate after every run and we try not to let the same person run the same hoppers every day.

Response: We rotate every half-hour. If we have a really difficult insert we will put our best inserter on it and leave (him or her) on there or rotate other good inserters in and out of that position.

Response: We rotate every two hours: We’re a union shop and the two-hour rotation was arrived at using ergonomics software from Ergonomics by Design Inc.

Topic: Training best practices

Q: I’m currently working on a team project and looking for best practices in developing and training mailroom employees. Any programs, methods or tools your organization has used that have delivered results would greatly be appreciated.

Response: We usually try to team a new employee with a more experienced one for a few days to try to get them used to using the joggers and to help them to understand how high or low you have to feed some of the inserts. When we turn them loose by themselves it is usually on some of the simpler inserts.

Response: We use a qualification sheet program. Every job has a qualification sheet that lists all requirements, or steps needed to complete the job. Employees must demonstrate their skills or explain their knowledge to the satisfaction of an authorized signer to get signed off on the sheet. The good thing about this program is that it leaves a paper trail that can be helpful when problems or questions about someone’s ability arise.

Response: We use a training checklist and assign new people with trainers or mentors for different tasks. We pay a bonus to the trainer/mentor. This method has worked well for us for the past four years.