In-Depth Survey Report: Multiple Envelope Particle Expulsion Test of an Existing Advanced Facer Canceller System (AFCS) and an AFCS 200 Configuration at Siemens Industry, Mobility USA, Infrastructure Logistics Postal Solutions, Arlington, Texas

摘要

A multiple envelope particle test was conducted as a follow-up to the single envelope evaluation (Hammond et al. 2010) carried out by researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The additional testing was requested by the United States Postal Service (USPS) to determine if a comparison of two mail processing machines might produce a different conclusion if tested using runs of mUltiple envelopes instead of using runs of single envelopes. For this additional experiment, researchers from NIOSH conducted an evaluation to compare particle expulsion using runs of 45 envelopes sent through USPS mail processing equipment-the Advanced Facer Canceller System (AFCS) and the AFCS 200 configuration. The AFCS 200 configuration was representative of a production design under the Biohazard Detection System (BDS) hood and in the BDS area. The AFCS 200 was developed to update the approximately 20 year old AFCS fleet of mail processing machines. The testing described in this report evaluated changes to the AFCS 200, such as belt speeds and pulley sizes, which might negatively impact the release of particles from mail pieces processed on the machine. The AFCS agitates and compresses mail pieces during initial mail processing operations to expel any biological hazards that could be contained in a mail piece. A BDS, located over initial hard pinch points on the AFCS, samples and analyzes the air for the presence of biohazards thereby preventing the delivery of a tainted letter to a target destination address.