| Here's a concise guide to MICR and
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| | CharacteristicsWaveform Theory The
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| associated technologies.Magnetic Ink
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| | readers move and read documents from
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| Character Recognition (MICR) was
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| | right to left. The right-hand edge of the
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| developed to utilize the benefits of
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| | character, as a result, is the first to
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| computer technology in the banking
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| | cross the read head. Analysis of the
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| industry. Prior to the use of a MICR
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| | signal level created by reading the
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| line, check sorting by account number was
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| | character 0 will help explain this in
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| a manual process. Two systems were
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| | greater detail (Figure 4). Figure 4:
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| previously used to handle the large
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| | MICR Magnetic FootprintAs the character
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| numbers of checks processed in the
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| | moves from left to right under the read
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| banking industry: Sort-A-Matic and Top
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| | head, the gap detects the magnetism of
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| Tab Key Sort.The Sort-A-Matic system
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| | the first right-hand edge (edge 1). This
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| included 100 metal or leather dividers
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| | results in the increase in magnetism and
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| numbered 00 through 99. Each check was
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| | a positive peak is created (peak 1). As
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| placed in the corresponding divider by
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| | soon as the right-hand edge moves beyond
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| the first two numbers of the account. The
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| | the read head gap, no new magnetism is
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| sorting process was then repeated for the
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| | found, and thus the wave form returns to
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| next two digits of the account number,
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| | the zero signal level.At the second edge,
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| and so on. When the process was complete,
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| | the vertical read head detects a drop in
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| the checks were grouped by account
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| | magnetism, which results in a -110 signal
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| number.Under the Top Tab Key Sort system,
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| | level at peak 2. Again the waveform
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| small holes punched at the top of the
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| | returns to zero until the next portion of
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| checks indicated the digits. For
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| | the inner ring of the character is
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| instance, the first hole indicated the
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| | detected. At this point (peak 3), an
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| value of the first digits (0, 1, 2, 3...)
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| | increase in magnetism (+110) is
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| A metal "key" was inserted through the
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| | indicated. Finally, the outer portion of
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| holes to separate all of the checks with
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| | the character is read, resulting in a
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| the same value in the first digit, and
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| | negative peak (peak 4) of -130.The
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| this step was repeated for each digit
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| | placement of the vertical edges must
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| until all the checks were sorted.Both of
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| | occur in increments of 0.013 inches from
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| these systems worked, but they were
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| | the first right-hand edge. There are five
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| time-consuming. With the advent of the
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| | characters that have two positive and two
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| computer and its movement from the
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| | negative peaks similar to the character 0
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| laboratory into the business world, a
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| | and also appear in a
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| sorting and matching task seemed ideal.
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| | positive-negative-positive-negative
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| Stanford University and Bank of America
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| | format. They are 0, 2, 4, 5, and the
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| were the first to successfully use
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| | transit character, which are
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| computers to sort and match checks. They
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| | differentiated from one another by the
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| developed what is now known as MICR . The
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| | horizontal location of the peaks in the
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| Development of the MICR FontThe MICR font
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| | waveforms. The peaks do require different
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| was developed by Stanford University in
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| | amplitudes, but ANSI standards allow them
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| conjunction with Bank of America and
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| | to vary from 50% to 200% of the nominal
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| approved by the American Banking
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| | amplitudes (Canadian standards allow them
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| Association. The font is known as the
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| | to vary from 80% to 200% of the nominal
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| E-13B font. E-13B has a total of 14
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| | amplitudes). This is why the placement of
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| characters: ten specially designed
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| | the waveform is so important and why the
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| numbers (0 through 9) and four special
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| | characters are shaped unusually.What
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| symbols (Transit, Amount, On-Us, and
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| | Affects the Signal Level?Signal level can
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| Dash).The letter E indicates the fifth
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| | vary based on a number of factors. The
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| version considered. The letter B
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| | amount of iron oxide (concentration) that
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| indicates the second revision of that
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| | is present in the character will affect
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| version. The number 13 is derived from
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| | the signal level. This is a function not
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| the 0.013-inch module construction used
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| | only of the toner itself, but also of how
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| for stroke and character width. This
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| | it is laid on the paper and the pile
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| means that all character widths, both
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| | height, which can be controlled by
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| horizontal and vertical, are in multiples
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| | numerous other cartridge components
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| of 0.013 inches ranging from 0.052 to
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| | (i.e., "hot" OPCs).The taller the
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| 0.091. The significance of this will be
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| | vertical edge of the character, the
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| explained more thoroughly later in this
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| | taller the peak (either positive or
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| article.MICR ReadersThree types of
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| | negative). A vertical edge that is not
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| machines are used to read MICR
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| | regular and/or not vertical will result
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| characters. The two that read the
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| | in a reduction in the amplitude of the
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| characters magnetically are referred to
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| | peak and will flatten the peak out.Keys
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| as MICR readers. The third machine is an
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| | to proper waveform detection are: - All
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| Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
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| | peaks in a character's waveform must be
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| reader.E-13B characters are printed with
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| | detected. The reader sorter must know
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| toner containing iron oxide, which is
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| | that the peak is there. - The peak must
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| capable of being magnetized. MICR readers
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| | be located at or near its anticipated
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| transport the checks containing the E-13B
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| | location. - No significant "extra" peaks
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| magnetic characters past a magnet,
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| | can be present. - There cannot be wide
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| thereby magnetizing the iron oxide
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| | variations in the signal levels of peaks
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| particles. The magnetized characters then
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| | within a character.What to Look for in
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| pass under a magnetic read head. The
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| | MICR Printers and Consumables Printers
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| magnetic field (flux pattern) caused by
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| | that are used for MICR printing must have
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| the magnetized characters generates a
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| | a unique MICR font that is modified to
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| current in the read head. The strength
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| | suit the unique printer engine, and it
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| and timing of this current allows the
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| | must be modified to the pixel level to
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| reader to decipher the
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| | match the magnetic toner provided for
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| characters.Magnetic readers come in two
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| | that printer. This is essential to ensure
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| types: single track (single gap or split
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| | the correct waveform, dimension, and
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| scan) and multiple track (matrix or
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| | signal strength when a check is printed
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| pattern) readers.Single track uses a read
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| | with the correct MICR characters. In
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| head with one gap to detect the magnetic
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| | addition, the MICR font must meet ABA-X9
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| flux pattern generated by the MICR
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| | standards to ensure acceptance of your
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| character. When a magnetized E-13B
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| | checks by banking institutions.The
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| printed character moves across the narrow
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| | magnetic MICR toner that you choose must
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| gap of the read head, the electric
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| | be specifically designed for the
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| voltage caused by the magnetic flux from
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| | particular print engine in the printer.
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| the character generates a waveform unique
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| | Ensure the toner has been thoroughly
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| to each character (Figure 1).Figure 1:
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| | tested for consistent signal readings,
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| Single-Track Reader CharacteristicsThe
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| | image permanence and uniformity, and
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| multiple track reader employs a matrix of
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| | excellent edge acuity. Toner coverage
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| tiny, vertically aligned read heads to
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| | must be solid with no extraneous toner
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| detect the presence of the magnetic flux
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| | lay down.OEM cartridges are always a safe
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| pattern. The small individual read heads
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| | (but more expensive) bet. If you buy a
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| slice across the character to detect the
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| | "compatible" brand, ensure it has new a
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| presence of magnetic flux. This sensing
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| | OPC drum, new primary charge rollers
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| of magnetic flux over time produces a
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| | (PCRs), a new black velvet magnetic
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| unique matrix pattern for each character
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| | sleeve, and new image wiper blades. The
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| (Figure 2).Figure 2: Multi-Track Reader
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| | hopper system must be filled with
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| CharacteristicsAn OCR reader does not use
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| | high-quality, low-abrasion MICR toner.The
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| magnetic properties to detect the E-13B
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| | vendor you choose should use the latest
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| characters. Instead, it uses a scanner to
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| | and most advance MICR test equipment,
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| detect the amount of light reflected from
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| | such as a Verifier and Golden Qualifier
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| the character and the amount of light
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| | to conform to ANSI X9 Standards. It is
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| reflected from the background. A
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| | also recommended that the systems exceed
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| photocell column detects the presence of
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| | U.S. and Canadian check printing
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| the dark area of a character (Figure
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| | standards.Copyright 2005 Printerm
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| 3).Figure 3: Photocell Column OCR
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| | Datascribe, Inc.
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