Introduction

The customer is a global technology group. Its broad portfolio of solutions includes sorting systems for national and international mail, parcel, forwarding and courier service companies.

The letter sorting systems record the address using optical character recognition (OCR) and separate the envelopes according to format. In the next step, they merge the mail in such a way that the delivery routes for the mail carriers are as short as possible. Several servers are required in one system to control the complex processes.

Pyramids AKHET® Pyramid hardware has been used in mail sorting systems for more than 10 years. The long-lasting and trusting business relationship with Pyramid is based on Pyramid's expertise in working with customers to develop the exact solution that best meets their specific technology, design and service requirements.

The development project for the next generation of servers began with an intensive dialog in which the issues discussed included changes to the sorting processes and system hardware, the space available for the new systems in the machines and the immission load in the mail centers

Technology

The end product is characterized by a modular design, i.e. the two server variants that the customer requires for the different mail sorting systems can be assembled cost-effectively from one platform. The differences include the expansion cards, the I/O ports and the number of CPUs. One variant uses a single-processor mainboard, the other a dual-processor mainboard. The reason for this is the different power requirements of the sorting systems. Thanks to the customized solution, our customers only pay for the performance that they actually need for the respective system.

Space is a precious commodity in industrial plants. That's why our servers are characterized by a compact chassis. With a depth of just 57 cm, the 4 U high 19" systems can be integrated into the tight control cabinet of the sorting machine.

In order to keep the dimensions of the chassis as small as possible, Pyramid has developed a special solution for the handles that make it easier for technicians to handle the devices, which weigh around 25 kilograms: Once the technician has installed and wired the server in the sorting system, the handles can be removed in seconds without tools.

Effective immission protection in the IPCs is essential for the trouble-free operation of the sorting system. It moves several hundred thousand letters a day. The friction between the paper and the conveyor belts generates considerable amounts of paper dust. To keep it out of the interior of the IPCs, they are equipped with dust filters that can be changed during operation using a device on the housing.

Services

Pyramid's services are a key element in the customer's value chain. These include flashing the different BIOS versions and labeling the I/O ports with customer-specific stickers. They ensure that the team of technicians on standby at the mail centers for assembly and configuration know immediately how to connect the servers. This quick orientation saves time and money.

The logistics services that Pyramid provides for the customer are a challenge. The complex roll-out of the systems extends over several months and dozens of mail centers. An organizational plan informs everyone involved about the model and number of servers, the location, day and hour of delivery as well as the contact person in the mail centers and their contact details. The operators of the centers impose a "freeze" for periods with particularly high work volumes (e.g. Christmas), i.e. emergency repairs may be carried out on the sorting systems, but no maintenance or conversion work.

Delays in the roll-out would postpone the installation of the servers by months, which would involve immense effort and high costs for the customer. It is testament to Pyramid's qualities as a full-service provider that there has not been a single delay since the start of the collaboration.

Why Pyramid?

The customer has been relying on our industrial servers for many years because we always manage to fulfill their specific wishes and requirements in terms of technology and services with great flexibility.

We develop and produce the systems that our customers need for their mail centers down to the last detail. In doing so, we draw on several decades of experience in the development and manufacture of industrial PCs and industrial servers.

Our business philosophy also includes providing our customers with the best possible support, i.e. we provide them with a dedicated contact person who accompanies them from kick-off through roll-out to after-sales issues.