If you are interested, the USPS has a document specifying exactly the
kind of forces these things go through and how to avoid them.

I believe the main points are that the letters go under a certian amount
of pressure, and are bent around corners at a certian minimum radius
(5-8inches or so).

There are two ways to make sure it doesn't meet the machine, make it too
long/tall/wide/heavy, or put a specific sticker on it (Though I've seen
stickered mail go through the ringer anyway).  I suspect it's all
automatically presorted by machine according to size.

-Adam

Joe Farr wrote:

>Roman,
>I never knew about the squishing rollers etc.
>
>That explains why my favourite electronics supplier always ships my one-offs in a padded bag and charges me 1.50 post and packing. Something that up till now, has really bugged me.
>The more 'reputable' companies should perhaps mention why they insist on padded bags so that uninformed people like me don't get annoyed with them, IMHO.
>
>Thanks for the info.
>
>Joe
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Roman Black [mailto:fastvid@EZY.NET.AU]
>Sent: 03 August 2002 09:01
>To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
>Subject: Re: [OT]: Argh! (feel free to ignore)
>
>
>Russell McMahon wrote:
>
>
>
>>If they charge what they said they were going to charge for postage and sent
>>what one ordered then there can be little complaint. When they don't send
>>what was ordered (assuming one checked first that it was in stock) then
>>complaint about the cost is entirely justified - always IMHO of course.
>>
>>Bent pins are inexcusable and suggest a general lack of concern which could
>>suggest other bad practice such as lack of proper antistatic handling. Maybe
>>they are trying to discourage his future business :-)
>>
>>
>
>
>One thing to remember with all devices mailed is
>there are two basic mail handling systems;
>
>* Parcel mail is for ANYTHING over 6mm (1/4") thick.
>* Letter mail is for letters only, must be under 6mm
>
>The letter mail gets fed into sorting/routing machines,
>you may have seen them on TV etc, where they are fed
>at high speeds through rubber rollers, machine reads
>the postal (zip) codes and routes the letters directly.
>
>Parcel mail is (generally) sorted by hand.
>
>NEVER send chips etc in something that can fit through
>a 6mm slot and may be mistaken for letter mail. It will
>get squished at high speed by 50 big rubber rollers. :o)
>Using a padded bag should be fine.
>
>Now when a professional mail order supply firm makes
>basic mistakes like that, THEY KNOW they are sending parts
>out through the squisher, and that resistors etc will
>probably make it... Executive decisions being what they
>are, probably any order under $3 that looks skinny gets
>to play "dodge the squisher".
>-Roman
>
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