Mailing Machines Continued…

Postage meters have two parts: the meter itself and the base, or mailing machine. Meters are heavily regulated by the United States government. They cannot be bought, but only leased from the manufacturer and there are few significant differences from meter to meter. All can hold up to $1,000 in postage and can be replenished manually or automatically. They can send first class, priority, and express mail, as well as packages and, with a permit, discounted bulk mailings. Mailing machines, however, range from low volume, manually fed machines to the most automated and advanced systems capable of processing hundreds of letters per minute.

When deciding what mailing machine to purchase or lease, it is very important to consider the needs of your business. Two companies that both send about 1,000 pieces of outgoing mail per month may have very different needs if one company sends all 1,000 direct mailings in the course of a few days and the other spreads them out over the whole month.

Features of Mailing Machines

The basic job of a mailing machine is to feed envelopes to the meter to be stamped. However, there are many other features and functions that can be added on, depending on the machine and the volume of mail processed.

Feeding – The most basic, low end machines require envelopes to be manually fed to the machine for processing. Higher-end machines feed envelopes automatically or semi-automatically and are capable of processing as many as 270 letters a minute.

Weighing – Postage scales can be purchased separately or built into the machine. They increase the cost efficiency of mailings by ensuring proper postage. The USPS estimates that more accurate weighing could save customers and businesses up to 20% on postage costs.

Sealing – Sealers are often the most unreliable parts of a mailing machine because the water and gum used in them can cause jamming or sticking if the area is not regularly cleaned.

Stacking – Many mailing machines have a basic catch tray for the metered mail. On higher-end machines, power stackers move the mail away from the edge of the meter with a conveyer belt.

Tape dispensing – When sending large packages or oddly shaped mail, the meter cannot always print directly onto the piece of mail. Instead, it affixes a strip of adhesive paper, called tape.

Computerized and Automated Features – Higher-end machines designed to process high volumes often include computerized features such as the ability to save presets for common mailing jobs, password protected access, and more. Some can be programmed to simultaneously handle different sized paper or envelopes without stopping the machine to reset the equipment.

By Kerry Given