BOOKLETS New Requirements

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• BOOKLETSNew Requirements
• for
• Automation Machinable Letter Prices

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Overview what led us here?

• R2006 price increase for flat-size catalogs
  prompted shift to letter-size catalogs (e.g.
  slim jims)
• Letters process on automation equipment at the
  rate of 10 pieces per second
• Booklets (slim jim letter and digest-size) do
  not behave like enveloped pieces
• Tend to jam equipment
• Can become significantly damaged
• Tabbing methods often insufficient
• Pieces frequently moved to flat-sorters and
  manual operations
• Reduce jam and damage rates
• Greater processing and delivery costs

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Overview how did we react?

• Extensive testing to determine which
  characteristics and combinations enable
  processing on the DBCSs (primary letter sorting
  machines)
• Phase 1 controlled test in fall 2007
• Mailer-supplied pieces collaborated with
  industry in summer/fall 2008
• Phase 2 controlled test through fall 2008

• Seven Characteristics
• Binding
• Cover Stock
• Size
• Tab locale, style, strength
• Thickness

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Test Results, Mailer-Supplied Pieces
Mailpiece Damage Tab Tear
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Test Results, Phase 2
Mailpiece Damage Tab and Cover Tear
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Test Results

• TABS
• Three tabs performed better than two tabs on all
  styles
• Large tabs (at least 1.5 inches) performed better
  than small tabs
• Nonperforated tabs sealed better than perforated
  tabs, which tended to burst
• PAPER
• 50-pound paper covers processed acceptably on
  some
• smaller and lighter pieces at least 60-pound
  paper needed
• on most pieces
• SIZE
• Pieces were problematic over 10.5 inches long or
  when weighing at or near 3 ounces

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Booklets Mailpiece Design

• New standards for letter-sized booklets Federal
  Register published on April 15, 2009
• General overview
• Define standards for design, preparation, and
  sealing of machinable and automation letter-size
  booklets
• Describe minimum requirements and provide
  recommendations based on wide variety of test
  observations and several years of analysis
• Provide illustrations of new requirements
• Minimize mailpiece damage and maximize efficient
  processing
• Effective September 8, 2009

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Booklets Mailpiece Design

• Booklets definition and illustrations
• Multiple sheets of paper bound together on one
  edge to form a spine may be perfect-bound or
  permanently fastened with staples or another
  method that creates a uniformly thick mailpiece.
• Larger booklets may be folded to letter-size so
  long as final mailpiece remains uniformly thick.
• Spiral bindings are not machinable and do not
  qualify for automation prices.

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Booklets Mailpiece Design Physical Standards

• Dimensions and weight requirements for automation
  and machinable letter prices
• Booklets
• Height 3.5 inches to 6 inches
• Length 5 inches to 10.5 inches
• Thickness 0.009 inch to 0.25 inches
• Aspect ratio within 1.3 to 2.5
• Maximum weight 3 ounces
• Note some booklet designs have shorter maximum
  lengths

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Booklets Mailpiece Design Paper Requirements

• Paper
• Generally booklet covers must be made with a
  minimum paper basis weight of 60-pounds
  book-grade or equivalent.
• Minimum basis weights are higher for some designs
• DMM 201 Exhibit 3.15.4 lists minimum paper
  weights by design
• DMM minimum paper basis weights are based on
  book-grade

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Booklets Mailpiece Design Paper Requirements

• Paper Conversion Example
• Mailing Standard Minimum Paper Weight is 60 lbs
• If the mailpiece cover is 55 lb newsprint that
  equals the minimum paper weight of 60 lbs
  book-grade.
• If the mailpiece cover is 50 lb newsprint that
  does not equal the minimum paper weight of 60 lbs
  book-grade.

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Booklets Mailpiece Design Design and Sealing

• Booklets may be designed with the spine or final
  fold at the bottom or on the leading edge.

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Booklets Mailpiece Design Closure Method

• Tabs
• Three 1.5-inch tabs required on all booklets
• Non-perforated tabs required on all pieces
• Recommend white paper tabs
• Recommend 2-inch tabs on booklets over 2.5 ounces

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Booklets Mailpiece Design Closure Method

• Glue Spot
• May be used in lieu of tabs
• Must be placed within ¾ of the open edges

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Booklets Mailpiece Design Closure Method

• Glue Line
• May be used as cover-to-cover seals
• Must be placed along the entire edge and no more
  than ¾ from the open ends

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Booklets Mailpiece Design

• Simple-Spine Booklet
• Spine on bottom (longer) edge
• Place two tabs on leading edge and one on
  trailing edge
• Position lower leading tab 0.5 inch from bottom
  edge
• Position upper tabs 1 inch from top edge
• May use 50-pound 5 to 9 60-pound paper
  recommended
• Must use 60-pound on pieces over 9 inches long

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Booklets Mailpiece Design

• Folded Booklet (Quarter-Fold)
• Final fold on bottom (longer) edge spine folded
  on leading edge
• Place two tabs on leading edge and one on
  trailing edge
• Position lower leading tab 0.5 inch from bottom
  edge
• Position upper tabs 1 inch from top edge
• May use 40-pound 50-pound paper recommended

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Booklets Mailpiece Design

• Spine-Right Booklet (Oblong)
• Spine on leading (shorter) edge
• Place two tabs on top edge and one on trailing
  edge
• Position top tabs no more than 1 inch from left
  and right edge
• Position trailing tab no lower than the middle
• May use 60-pound 70-pound paper recommended
• Must use 70-pound on pieces over 9 inches long

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Booklets Mailpiece Design

• Perfect Bound
• Spine on bottom (longer) edge non-perforated
  inner flap on top (upper edge)
• Perfect bound or saddle stitched with a
  continuous glue line along flap preferred,
  minimum 1 glue spots acceptable if placed within
  ¾ of right and left edges
• Must use 80-pound paper

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Booklets Mailpiece Design
Reminder!

• New Standards for Booklet
• Automation and Machinable
• Letter Prices
• Federal Register final rule
• Vol. 74, No. 71 / Wednesday, April 15, 2009 /
  Rules and Regulations
• http//pe.usps.com/FRN/Booklets.pdf
• EFFECTIVE DATE September 8, 2009

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What about Folded Self-Mailers?

• Postponed proposed Folded Self-Mailer rule
• Established advisory team through MTAC leadership
  for further collaboration on mailpiece evaluation
  and testing
• Utilize mailer-supplied test material, in
  addition to USPS controlled test designs
• Target test completion by August 2009
• Proposed rule in Fall 2009

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Questions