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Tray Staging Lanes, Northrop Grumman

Challenges:

The Electronics Systems Division of Northrop Grumman has a business unit that supplies equipment for both letter and flat mail sortation to the US Postal Service. This unit operates as a systems integrator, combining existing products to supply the USPS with complete end-to-end solutions.

While developing Phase II for the Postal Service’s Flat Sequencing System, Northrop Grumman was determined to reduce the overall cost and footprint of the Phase I system deployed at a number of facilities operated by the USPS. The current system utilized a tote buffering system that occupied over 4,000 square feet of facility space, limiting their use in smaller facilities or those with too many obstructions to accomodate the Phase I buffering system.  Northrop Grumman’s Phase II goal was to increase efficiency using automated sorting and to reclaim usable floor space in the facilities using the original longer system.

Solution:

USS analyzed the Phase I system configuration and determined that the footprint of the system could be significantly reduced by installing a tote-buffering system at the sorter discharge location.  These Tray Staging Lanes would egress complications, eliminate unnecessary conveyor, and recover valuable floor space.

Results:

USS’ new configuration reduced the overall cost of each staging location by 52% by shortening the length of the conveyors. In addition, the shorter conveyors reduced the number of moving components in the system, simplifying maintenance and improving machine availability. Overall, the system footprint was reduced by 4,000 square feet, allowing installation in facilities that previously were unable to accommodate the automated sorting system. Since installation, the system has proven its reliability by successfully completing a 10 year lifecycle component test.