UPS on National Geographic Channel

Storm723

Preload Supervisor
I thought the technology was impressive. I mean someone actually was standing around one day like...hmmm....

scanners, belts, and rollers oh my!!
 

wkmac

Well-Known Member
The whole show was nothing but footage of packages riding on belts. There was never less than 4 feet between each package. I think all the footage was taken at the beginning of a sort. They didn't want the public to see the true UPS where packages are jamming up and bending and breaking.

Big,

The system is designed for singulation or singulated package flow so what you saw is normal and not created just for TV. We have some package flow technology in our building (along with an automated small sort much like what you saw on TV) and although it's still bulk flow, it does vastly reduce jams and belt backups. Now it's not perfect but not nearly the nightly nightmare that I've seen in other older conventional buidlings. Most nights are jam free and belt backups are rare.

Had UPS taken them to a conventional buidling (non automated) then all of what you said would hold true. I also hear that there are PE mechanics who work inside what the TV program called "the core" (I've heard it called the Matrix) who never see the first employee during the shift. That's got to be a dream IMO! Automation! What a wonderful idea!
:wink2:

One company that designs/builds sorting systems for UPS.
http://www.fkilogistex.com/sortation/solutions.aspx
 

Storm723

Preload Supervisor
Big,

The system is designed for singulation or singulated package flow so what you saw is normal and not created just for TV. We have some package flow technology in our building (along with an automated small sort much like what you saw on TV) and although it's still bulk flow, it does vastly reduce jams and belt backups. Now it's not perfect but not nearly the nightly nightmare that I've seen in other older conventional buidlings. Most nights are jam free and belt backups are rare.

Had UPS taken them to a conventional buidling (non automated) then all of what you said would hold true. I also hear that there are PE mechanics who work inside what the TV program called "the core" (I've heard it called the Matrix) who never see the first employee during the shift. That's got to be a dream IMO! Automation! What a wonderful idea!
:wink2:

One company that designs/builds sorting systems for UPS.
http://www.fkilogistex.com/sortation/solutions.aspx


The technology was unreal!
 

The Brown Santa

Ping Pong Ball
Makes our building look like the Stoneage.

So much for Aiming High, the driver at the end was more interested in looking at the camera while driving. :surprised: He also didn't use his turn signal while making a right turn, and didn't look left, right, left before clearing the intersection.


This "No Left Turn" BS is the most comical thing to come out of Brown in a while. If one more person asks me about it...... "Hey , is it true?........" :angry::angry::angry:
 

Overpaid Union Thug

Well-Known Member
Big,

The system is designed for singulation or singulated package flow so what you saw is normal and not created just for TV. We have some package flow technology in our building (along with an automated small sort much like what you saw on TV) and although it's still bulk flow, it does vastly reduce jams and belt backups. Now it's not perfect but not nearly the nightly nightmare that I've seen in other older conventional buidlings. Most nights are jam free and belt backups are rare.

Had UPS taken them to a conventional buidling (non automated) then all of what you said would hold true. I also hear that there are PE mechanics who work inside what the TV program called "the core" (I've heard it called the Matrix) who never see the first employee during the shift. That's got to be a dream IMO! Automation! What a wonderful idea!
:wink2:

One company that designs/builds sorting systems for UPS.
http://www.fkilogistex.com/sortation/solutions.aspx


We recently got a transfer from up there. According to him the flow isn't like that normally. He says the belts aren't blown out and bending packages like in other hubs but they do get plenty of heavy traffic and plenty of jams.
 

wkmac

Well-Known Member
We recently got a transfer from up there. According to him the flow isn't like that normally. He says the belts aren't blown out and bending packages like in other hubs but they do get plenty of heavy traffic and plenty of jams.

I can believe the heavy flow part for sure. As we speak they are adding on to Worldport in which it will go from handling 300k per hour flow to well over 500k per hour. That number is just staggering to even think about. It would take our sort 2 to 3 weeks to handle what they will in an hour.

Just unreal.

When they were building Worldport (called Hub 2K then) the PE website off the main UPS internal website had some really neat videos of the technology they were installing but I don't think they are there anymore.

BTW: FedEx Ground is building a lot of their new infastructure using some automated technology so as our hubs age more and more that are labor intensive, FedEx although still needing some manning will gain some competitive edge in that part of the whole process.

UPS IMO will face a day ahead where a huge amount of money will be needed to redirect towards it's own hub infastructure and what will it do when that time comes? That will be the day that Jim Kelly will be cursed and that being private is where this company should have stayed. But that's JMO.
 
Makes our building look like the Stoneage.

So much for Aiming High, the driver at the end was more interested in looking at the camera while driving. :surprised: He also didn't use his turn signal while making a right turn, and didn't look left, right, left before clearing the intersection.


This "No Left Turn" BS is the most comical thing to come out of Brown in a while. If one more person asks me about it...... "Hey , is it true?........" :angry::angry::angry:
i completely agree!!!

they talked about how ups has edd set up to run the route the most efficient way that is B.S. if i ran my route the way it is setup in edd i would be out to midnight every night. it is the drivers that makes the route efficient and we get no credit for it. i dont care how much technology this company has there is no computer that is going to be able to run a route more effeciently than the driver.
 

filthpig

Well-Known Member
I am consistently amused by how so many people on this site constantly try to shed a negative light on UPS on a corporate level. Like it or not, UPS is one of the most efficiently run companies in the world. I get irritated about stuff too, but some of you think bout it WAAAAAAAAY too much.
 
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