To many mailers, an inkjet address printer is a device that simply prints addresses or other variable data on envelopes and documents. But a certain class of intelligent direct mail inkjet addresser can do so much more. Have you ever wondered about the technology used to ensure that a document on the inside of an envelope matches the address printed on the outside? Or a credit card with information that matches the carrier that it is glued to? Or the inside page of a booklet matching the outside cover (both personalized).
This can be accomplished with tracking software and hardware within an inkjet system controller... but not all address printers are capable of this.
For example, Buskro inkjet systems offer such tracking capabilities as an option, which would allow you to create personalized and matching (intelligent) mail by adapting the system to your current inserting, bindery, tip-on, or direct mail equipment. Here are two ways it could work:
In the first one, you have a standard 6 pocket inserter. One piece of the package is pulled from a pocket and dropped into a slot. The slot moves forward, where the inserter drops the next piece on top, and so on. At the end of the process, the whole package is inserted into an envelope.
To make the 'package' personalized (having the envelope address match a name or address inside the package itself), you would have to print both items (the envelope and the contents of the envelope) in advance and "spot check" the inserting process every 10 pieces or so. Not only that, but you would have to check them BEFORE the envelopes are sealed, which turns the sealing into an entire new process. That puts a major drag on production, and the process itself is still subject to error-a lot of error.
A two camera mail matching system can speed things up a little, but the envelopes would still have to be printed in advance. And the two stacks still have to be in perfect order or else you'd have to shut everything down to match it up again.
In the second scenario, you roll up an inkjet address printer to the end of the inserter. The address printer prints the correct name on the outside of each envelope (to match the personalized documents inside).
With the right inkjet, a Buskro for instance, this would be 100% reliable. You could recover from jams and operator errors quickly and easily, because the software would keep track of the database entries that weren't printed correctly. This would also allow you to run at full speed.
No more printing envelopes in advance. No more manual "spot checks" to make sure your stacks are still correlating. And what's more, no more stopping production to re-order your stacks that somehow got out of sequence. Your direct mail equipment can suddenly begin to generate true profits because now you can offer truly personalized mail to your customers-without having to purchase a new inserter!
Buskros use real-time tracking methods that allows you to track the original personalized insert throughout the path of the inserter. It all starts with the concept of reading a "unique identifying mark" on the inserted pieces.
Once that happens, the record number is recognized by the inkjet tracking software, which reviews the progress of the document package as it moves along the inserter's path. Once it enters the "inkjet zone," the inkjet controller performs a database look-up. It matches the document with a corresponding record in the database, so it can print the correct name on the outer envelope... after the document's been inserted and the envelope has been sealed.
If a document is removed during a jam, the Buskro inkjet addresser will know it. And it doesn't even matter if the order of the database corresponds with the documents. It will match the documents to the right address no matter what order they're in.
The process also works with regular swingarm inserters or even with the more sophisticated ones like Flowmaster, Buhrs, Kern, etc.. This includes card tip-on units or attachers, Collater-stitchers, etc.
Most mailers were thrilled with the development of inserter matching systems and camera verification.
The inkjet matching / read-print systems carry intelligent inserting to the next step. They complete the automation, so that personalized mailings can be run at high speeds with zero error.
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