39 C.F.R. § 501.16 Breakdown and endurance testing.
Title 39 - Postal Service
Each meter model proposed for manufacturing must pass without error or breakdown the following described printing cycle endurance test, which includes operation of the printing mechanism with proper registration of the selected postage value in both the ascending and descending registers. At reasonably frequent intervals, the manufacturer must take meters at random from production and subject them to breakdown tests to make certain that quality and performance standards are maintained. (a) For meters that operate at 100 or more printing cycles per minute—4 million cycles. For meters that operate at less than 100 printing cycles per minute (and cannot be used interchangeably on power-base machines that operate at 100 or more printing cycles per minute)—2 million cycles. (b) For multidenomination and omnidenomination meters, postage value selection elements must be tested for one-half million operations. A complete operation includes selection of a value and return to zero. (c) Balance register lockout operation must be done at the start of, at intervals during, and after the printing cycle test.
Title 39: Postal Service
PART 501—AUTHORIZATION TO MANUFACTURE AND DISTRIBUTE POSTAGE METERS
§ 501.16 Breakdown and endurance testing.
