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Xerox 6100BD - Phaser Color Laser Printer Fundamentals

Manual is about: Using LCDS Print Description Language

Summary of 6100BD - Phaser Color Laser Printer

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    January 2003 701p22140 xerox document services platform generic micr fundamentals guide.

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    Prepared by: xerox corporation global knowledge and language services 800 philips road bldg. 845-17s webster, new york 14580 usa ©2003 by xerox corporation. All rights reserved. Copyright protection claimed includes all forms and matters of copyrightable material and information now allowed by statu...

  • Page 3: Table of Contents

    Generic micr fundamentals guide iii table of contents introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ix about this guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ix how to use this guide . . . . . ...

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    Table of contents iv generic micr fundamentals guide paper maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9 wrapping factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9 storage factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...

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    Table of contents generic micr fundamentals guide v field formats summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14 character alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16 cmc7 font . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...

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    Table of contents vi generic micr fundamentals guide specifications for testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6 horizontal position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6 vertical position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...

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    Table of contents generic micr fundamentals guide vii analyzing reader sorter printout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14 test patterns: alternative to reader sorter testing . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15 verifying problem resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...

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    Table of contents viii generic micr fundamentals guide a. References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-1 standards documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1 instructions for ordering u. S. Standards ...

  • Page 9: Introduction

    Generic micr fundamentals guide ix introduction about this guide the purpose of the generic micr fundamentals guide is to provide a reference for the various facets of the micr environment within the context of the xerox micr printing products. This document does not contain specific information on ...

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    Introduction x generic micr fundamentals guide chapter 6: quality control. Describes micr document print quality specifications, the tools available to determine if a document is within specifications, and general operator maintenance procedures. Chapter 7: problem solving. Provides information on i...

  • Page 11: Overview

    Generic micr fundamentals guide 1-1 1. Overview micr (magnetic ink character recognition) is a process by which documents are printed using magnetic ink and special fonts to create machine readable information for quick document processing. Although traditionally micr has been used to print accounti...

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    Overview 1-2 generic micr fundamentals guide a brief history originally, checks were processed manually. However, by the mid-1940s the banking system became inundated with paper as society grew more mobile and affluent. Finding a means of handling the growing number of paper documents became vital t...

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    Overview generic micr fundamentals guide 1-3 in 1963, the american national standards institute (ansi) accepted the aba specifications, with minor revisions, as the american standard for micr printing. The ansi publication covering these standards is print specifications for magnetic ink character r...

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    Overview 1-4 generic micr fundamentals guide country e13b cmc7 ocr-a ocr-b north america: usa x canada x central america bermuda x mexico x panama x south america: argentina x brazil x chile x columbia x ecuador x peru x uruguay x venezuela x europe: austria x belgium x x denmark x x finland x x fra...

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    Overview generic micr fundamentals guide 1-5 recognizing significant market value in combining the advantages of electronic laser xerography with micr technology, xerox initiated investigations in late 1979 and early 1980. Early efforts at the xerox webster research center concentrated on basic mate...

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    Overview 1-6 generic micr fundamentals guide the printing process is one small part of the total processing procedure for a micr printing system user. Quality and accuracy of the check documents must be closely controlled during printing to prevent problems from occurring when the document is proces...

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    Overview generic micr fundamentals guide 1-7 figure 1-2. Life cycle of a check.

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    Overview 1-8 generic micr fundamentals guide 1. The check printer (1) produces a blank check that will be completed later. This check includes the static data that is needed for a negotiable document: • financial institution name and address, issuer name and address, check form, company logo, etc. •...

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    Overview generic micr fundamentals guide 1-9 7. Checks drawn on other banks are sent to the payor bank through a clearing (7) arrangement. The check may be cleared through the federal reserve, a correspondent bank, a clearing house, or directly by the issuing bank. The payor bank also balances the c...

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    Overview 1-10 generic micr fundamentals guide figure 1-3. Check ordering and production cycle 1. Design requirements are defined for a new account. 2. Requirements are passed to application development. 3. Samples pass internal quality checks. 4. Samples are forwarded to the bank for approval. 5. An...

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    Overview generic micr fundamentals guide 1-11 changes in check creation role in the past, the roles of manufacturer and check issuer were distinct. Because the technical requirements of doing micr printing were fairly difficult, the manufacturer usually did all of the process steps that involved the...

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    Overview 1-12 generic micr fundamentals guide.

  • Page 23: Environment

    Generic micr fundamentals guide 2-1 2. Environment checks and other bank forms constitute the most frequent uses of micr printing. All businesses issue checks to meet payroll and accounts payable obligations. In addition, all profitable publicly owned businesses make periodic stock dividend distribu...

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    Environment 2-2 generic micr fundamentals guide issuing checks the most common use of micr printing systems is the process of obtaining check stationery from the manufacturer and encoding it with micr information. Most businesses regularly issue checks in at least two of the following categories. • ...

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    Environment generic micr fundamentals guide 2-3 printing financial forms micr is also used for printing a variety of financial forms. Examples of micr financial forms include: • personal checkbooks • limited transaction checks, such as money market checks • direct mail promotional coupons • credit r...

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    Environment 2-4 generic micr fundamentals guide micr printing technologies the following basic printing techniques are capable of generating magnetic characters: • letterpress letterpress is based upon a raised typeface that sits above the plane of the image carrier. The typeface is inked with speci...

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    Environment generic micr fundamentals guide 2-5 printer technical optimization the xerox micr systems use the same operating software as their standard configuration counterparts. In addition, the micr systems have been enhanced to include the following features: • optimized print engine • micr mate...

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    Environment 2-6 generic micr fundamentals guide • high security measures are needed in any environment that uses check stationery. These measures affect physical access restrictions and staff supervision. • check printing usually requires frequent starting and stopping, which is time-consuming and d...

  • Page 29: Paper Facts

    Generic micr fundamentals guide 3-1 3. Paper facts micr applications have special paper, print, and finishing requirements. Refer to your printer operator guide for a complete list of supplies and options. Refer to helpful facts about paper for information on solving printer problems relating to pap...

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    Paper facts 3-2 generic micr fundamentals guide • do not use cut-sheet check paper that was converted from fanfold by the paper distributor. This conversion process can result in dimensional inaccuracy, poorly cut edges, and unacceptable paper curl. Micr paper requirements the following table summar...

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    Paper facts generic micr fundamentals guide 3-3 in the united states, paper weights are given as the weight of 500 sheets of paper of a particular size. The size of the basis sheet, however, varies with the type of paper. This makes difficult any comparison of weight between different types of paper...

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    Paper facts 3-4 generic micr fundamentals guide grain direction paper properties are related to the grain direction. The grain of a paper is the direction in which most of its fibers lie, as shown in the following figure. Long grain papers are cut so that the fibers are aligned with the long dimensi...

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    Paper facts generic micr fundamentals guide 3-5 figure 3-2. Long and short grain documents moisture content too much moisture in paper causes excessive curl, jams, degraded image permanence, and print quality problems. Too little moisture causes static problems, which can lead to jams, misfeeds, and...

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    Paper facts 3-6 generic micr fundamentals guide requirements for background reflectance are discussed in chapter 4, “document design.” curl all papers curl to some degree. Excessive curl is one of the most common causes of paper jams. Selecting a low-curl paper with the proper moisture content makes...

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    Paper facts generic micr fundamentals guide 3-7 • if you are using micro-perforations, be sure to have more than 60 ties to the inch. • make sure that the perforation line is rolled sufficiently to eliminate the underside bulge (debossment). Otherwise, feeding and stacking may be unreliable and prin...

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    Paper facts 3-8 generic micr fundamentals guide stiffness is lower across the grain direction than in the grain direction. Documents having the grain running parallel to the short dimension of the paper require special consideration to ensure adequate stiffness. Short grain micr documents are restri...

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    Paper facts generic micr fundamentals guide 3-9 paper maintenance the physical condition of your micr paper is extremely important. In addition to being free from holes, wrinkles, tears, damaged edges, and foreign material, micr paper must be carefully maintained, both before and after printing. Wra...

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    Paper facts 3-10 generic micr fundamentals guide temperature and humidity conditions the temperature and humidity in the printer environment can affect runability and print quality. Use the following guidelines for the best micr printing performance: • optimum temperature and humidity range – 68 to ...

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    Paper facts generic micr fundamentals guide 3-11 paper runability criteria use the following criteria to avoid paper jams and to assure high image quality: • use 24 pound/90 gsm xerographic or dual purpose micr bond paper. The paper should have the following characteristics: – low moisture content (...

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    Paper facts 3-12 generic micr fundamentals guide the following table is a troubleshooting guide for paper runability issues. Table 3-3. Paper runability issues malfunction possible causes repeated processor jams • excessive curl • high moisture content in paper • excessive paper smoothness • bent co...

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    Paper facts generic micr fundamentals guide 3-13 preprinted forms considerations the combination of consistent data format and element location makes preprinted forms useful in micr applications. Additional requirements for security features, either in the base paper stock or in the preprinted form,...

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    Paper facts 3-14 generic micr fundamentals guide • laser inks: inks that are formulated specifically for use on forms that will pass through laser printers are a recent development that holds considerable promise. These inks cure promptly (usually within 24 hours) and are formulated with laser print...

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    Paper facts generic micr fundamentals guide 3-15 • watermark: a variation that is made in the opacity of the paper during manufacturing. An artificial watermark is typically a white ink image that is printed on the back of the check. • drop-out ink: very low density ink that is used to print a messa...

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    Paper facts 3-16 generic micr fundamentals guide • to achieve reconciliation without substantial waste, always use the stock sheets in the same order—lowest to highest— so that the sequence remains intact. • avoid gaps in the sequence. • storing unused stock without wrapping may cause runability pro...

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    Paper facts generic micr fundamentals guide 3-17 • many security features must be located in areas of the document where the printer places critical information, such as the payee name and the check amount fields. However, if the feature interferes with the bonding of dry ink to paper, poor image pe...

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    Paper facts 3-18 generic micr fundamentals guide.

  • Page 47: Document Design

    Generic micr fundamentals guide 4-1 4. Document design although other applications are possible, a micr document is typically a negotiable document, very often a check. However, all types of micr documents must be produced in accordance with the standards and methods that have been established for c...

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    Document design 4-2 generic micr fundamentals guide background printing while micr documents may be printed on white or pastel colored paper, negotiable documents nearly always have some sort of background—a scenic image, a logo, or a pattern. Fixed form and variable information should print darker ...

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    Document design generic micr fundamentals guide 4-3 figure 4-1. Typical u. S. Personal check document design layout amount lines the amount of the check is also required. In order to prevent tampering, the amount should appear twice on the check. The amount that is written in numerals is called the ...

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    Document design 4-4 generic micr fundamentals guide signature lines the signature line or lines are located in the bottom right portion of the check, above the micr line. The signature area should be located no lower than 8½ inches/216 mm from the bottom edge of the check to avoid interference with ...

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    Document design generic micr fundamentals guide 4-5 check serial number this number is usually printed in the upper-right corner of the check. It is not a required element of the check, and is provided as a convenience to the account holder. In most cases, the check serial number appears a second ti...

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    Document design 4-6 generic micr fundamentals guide • 5/16 inch/7.9 mm from the right edge of the check, ± 1/16 inch/1.6 mm • minimum of 1/8 inch/3.2 mm from the left edge of the check the following figure illustrates the clear band dimensions for the e13b and cmc7 fonts. Figure 4-2. Micr clear band...

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    Document design generic micr fundamentals guide 4-7 format specifications using e13b the recommended clear band dimension for xerox micr printers using the e13b font is 3/4 inch/19 mm, to provide for tolerances of the printing and finishing systems, and to allow an extra margin of safety between the...

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    Document design 4-8 generic micr fundamentals guide transit symbol the two transit symbols tell the reader sorter that the numerals between these symbols are the routing number that identifies the institution on which the check is drawn and where the document should be sent for processing. Checks ar...

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    Document design generic micr fundamentals guide 4-9 e13b character design all of the e13b characters are designed on a 7 by 9 matrix of 0.013 inch/0.33 mm squares (see figure 4-5.). The minimum character width is four squares (or 0.052 inch/1.3 mm) for the numbers 1 and 2. The maximum width is 0.091...

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    Document design 4-10 generic micr fundamentals guide 1. Amount 2. On-us 3. Transit 4. External processing code (optional) 5. Auxiliary on-us (optional) all checks have at least three of the fields (amount, on-us, and transit). Commercial checks may also have an auxiliary on-us field, located on the ...

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    Document design generic micr fundamentals guide 4-11 document specifications form for accurate formatting of the entire micr line, each bank should provide a micr document specifications form to identify the proper contents of the various character positions. (refer to figure 4-4). The micr document...

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    Document design 4-12 generic micr fundamentals guide figure 4-5. Micr document specifications form (u. S. Example) note: in this example, x denotes blank spaces required by the issuing bank..

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    Document design generic micr fundamentals guide 4-13 amount field the amount is the first field on the right, located between character boxes 1 and 12. When this field is used, position 12 contains the amount field symbol, and positions 2 through 11 contain the actual amount. The amount is right-jus...

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    Document design 4-14 generic micr fundamentals guide external processing code (epc) field the external processing code (epc) field is an optional field between the transit and auxiliary on-us fields at position 44 or 45. When present, this field indicates that the document is eligible for special pr...

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    Document design generic micr fundamentals guide 4-15 table 4-1. Micr field formats—e13b field position description amount 1 to 12 fixed field signifying the dollar value of the check. Position: • 1 opening amount symbol • 2 to 3 cents • 4 to 11 dollars (zero-fill to left) • 12 closing amount symbol ...

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    Document design 4-16 generic micr fundamentals guide character alignment the bottom edges of adjacent e13b micr characters within the same field are in alignment within: • ± .007 inch/0.18 mm (cpa—canada) • ± .015 inch/0.38 mm (iso—international) • ± .030 inch/0.76 mm (ansi—u. S. Only) although this...

  • Page 63

    Document design generic micr fundamentals guide 4-17 the cmc-7 font consists of 10 numeric characters (0-9), five special symbols, and 26 alphabetic characters (a-z). The five special symbols are illustrated in the following figure: figure 4-7. Cmc7 special symbols s-1: indicates the start of the ba...

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    Document design 4-18 generic micr fundamentals guide s-5: indicates the routing number that identifies the institution on which the check is drawn and where the document should be sent for processing. This symbol is the equivalent of the e13b transit symbol. However, it is not used to terminate the ...

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    Document design generic micr fundamentals guide 4-19 micr character spacing requirements reader sorters have timing limits that prevent them from handling extreme variations in character spacing. The average spacing requirement for micr characters is 0.125 inch/6.4 mm per character (8 characters per...

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    Document design 4-20 generic micr fundamentals guide the following hp pcl escape sequences must be entered exactly as shown to select the xerox micr fonts: • e13b: &100(0u(s0p8.00h9.00v0s0b0t • cmc7: &100(1u(s0p8.00h9.06v0s0b0t note: the pcl 5 font rotation commands are used to rotate the e13b and c...

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    Document design generic micr fundamentals guide 4-21 table 4-3. Character conversion and spacing of proportionally spaced micr fonts (lcds printing only) input character ascii symbol input code hex value e13b font cmc7 font printed result dot width printed result dot width (space) 20 (space) 37 (spa...

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    Document design 4-22 generic micr fundamentals guide table 4-4. Character conversion and spacing of fixed pitch micr fonts at 300 dpi input character e13b font cmc7 font printed result dot width @300 dpi dot width @600 dpi printed result dot width @300 dpi dot width @600 dpi space (space) 37.5 75 (s...

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    Document design generic micr fundamentals guide 4-23 check size the ansi specified size limits for a check are shown in the following figure. Figure 4-9. Check size limits most personal checks in the u. S. Use the minimum size requirements. Commercial checks vary in size; however, most are closer to...

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    Document design 4-24 generic micr fundamentals guide table 4-5. Check dimensions summary chart country check dimensions notes australia 6.25’’ x 2.75’’/162 x 70 mm (min.) 8’’ x 3.66’’/203 mm x 93 mm (max.) typically 8’’ x 3 5/8’’ bermuda 6.125’’ x 2.75’’ 7.4’’ x 3.15’’ 10.5’’ x 3.15’’ with stub braz...

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    Document design generic micr fundamentals guide 4-25 other application considerations printing on a xerox micr printing system raises some additional application considerations. Two sided printing two sided (duplex) printing may be used in a micr application, but the forms design and the application...

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    Document design 4-26 generic micr fundamentals guide figure 4-10. Sheet layouts for 8.5 by 11 inch or a4 paper a multiple-up format, however, raises the following application considerations. • avoid multiple-up applications in which the last sheet is only partially filled. Example: in a 3-up check a...

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    Document design generic micr fundamentals guide 4-27 example: a 3-up application is printed with checks numbered 1 through 6, in that order. After they are cut, three stacks of finished checks are produced: the first with check numbers 1 and 4, another with numbers 2 and 5, and a third with numbers ...

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    Document design 4-28 generic micr fundamentals guide.

  • Page 75: Document Processing

    Generic micr fundamentals guide 5-1 5. Document processing the life cycle for a micr document involves three types of processing equipment: • proof machine • reader sorter • repair station proof machine the proof machine transfers the amount from the convenience amount field to the micr encoded amou...

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    Document processing 5-2 generic micr fundamentals guide proofing checks all checks start automated processing in the proof of deposit department. Check processing relies on a series of debits and credits throughout the process to identify errors as close to the source as possible. The first step is ...

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    Document processing generic micr fundamentals guide 5-3 non-impact ribbon technology offers higher encoding speed and fewer matrix read processing issues. However, problems occur with transfer of ink to the paper. Paper roughness must be controlled. Also, for micr laser printers, which apply a relea...

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    Document processing 5-4 generic micr fundamentals guide waveform generation all types of reader sorters react to any magnetic material in the clear band, intentionally placed on a document or not. Reader sorters read from right to left and the magnetized ink generates a waveform. The following figur...

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    Document processing generic micr fundamentals guide 5-5 types of reader sorters the following recognition technologies have been incorporated into micr reader sorter devices. Waveform reader sorters waveform reader sorters measure the magnetic signal waveform or pattern of the micr character as the ...

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    Document processing 5-6 generic micr fundamentals guide optical reader sorters optical readers typically use a light source and some type of photosensitive matrix array to convert an image of the character into a set of electrical signals. Optical readers that can interpret the characters can be use...

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    Document processing generic micr fundamentals guide 5-7 hybrid magnetic and optical reader sorters hybrid reader sorters use two read technologies: • magnetic waveform recognition • optical character recognition compared to other types, hybrid reader sorters have very high accuracy rates, because th...

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    Document processing 5-8 generic micr fundamentals guide medium speed: process 1,000 to 1,500 documents per minute. These machines usually use waveform recognition, frequently with dual or hybrid read. High speed: process 2,000 or more documents per minute. These machines are typically found in large...

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    Document processing generic micr fundamentals guide 5-9 aligner within the aligner, a series of wheels drive the bottom edge of the document toward the back side of the reader sorter so that the micr line is in a predictable location. The wheels have a series of plastic fingers that make contact wit...

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    Document processing 5-10 generic micr fundamentals guide sorter pockets the document finally arrives at a diverter plate, which sends it into the pocket that the reader sorter program selects based on the micr line data. The pocket has a pair of metal springs that press the document onto the stack t...

  • Page 85

    Document processing generic micr fundamentals guide 5-11 if the document is badly damaged, or if the processing center does not have an automated repair station, a document carrier envelope may be used. This is a check-sized, translucent envelope designed to fully enclose a check while adding a new ...

  • Page 86

    Document processing 5-12 generic micr fundamentals guide.

  • Page 87: Quality Control

    Generic micr fundamentals guide 6-1 6. Quality control micr printing requires constant quality control. Special equipment is required to produce quality documents that meet the x9.27, x9.13, x9.7, and iso 1004 specifications. You should develop a formal quality control program to ensure that all che...

  • Page 88

    Quality control 6-2 generic micr fundamentals guide • magnetic signal strength these are the ansi print specifications for micr. Other countries that use micr have similar specifications. Optical tools used to check micr although micr documents may appear satisfactory to the unaided eye, the micr to...

  • Page 89

    Quality control generic micr fundamentals guide 6-3 small optical comparator the small optical comparator also compares the micr printing to industry standards (see the following figure). Its main difference from the micr gauge is that the comparator’s nominal 8x to 12x magnification and built-in me...

  • Page 90

    Quality control 6-4 generic micr fundamentals guide micr signal strength is the only magnetic specification in ansi standards. Magnetic testers are needed to identify magnetic versus non-magnetic extraneous ink, and they can be useful in interpreting waveform uniformity issues. All other standards u...

  • Page 91

    Quality control generic micr fundamentals guide 6-5 figure 6-3. Portion of e13b calibration document the calibration document should be used once during each shift, or just prior to reading the on-us signal strength from any output document. It may be used for a total of five hours in the micr reade...

  • Page 92

    Quality control 6-6 generic micr fundamentals guide • periodically (once for each filled output bin): horizontal position, vertical position, voids, spots, and micr line appearance when a clinical test is running—which many banks require before changing check production—the following additional desi...

  • Page 93

    Quality control generic micr fundamentals guide 6-7 figure 6-4. Horizontal position check using micr gauge • if the right edge of the transit symbol is not between the dotted lines in boxes 42 and 43, the entire micr line is out of horizontal adjustment (too far to the left or right). • if the micr ...

  • Page 94

    Quality control 6-8 generic micr fundamentals guide the bottom edges of adjacent characters within each field should not vary vertically by more than 0.030 inch/0.75 mm (ansi), 0.015 inch/0.381 mm (iso), and 0.007 inch/0.18 mm (cpa). Vertical variation occurs most often in the amount field, which in...

  • Page 95

    Quality control generic micr fundamentals guide 6-9 the vertical position for the entire line is evaluated with the micr gauge. To check the vertical position, line up the right edge of the check with the right edge of the gauge, and place the bottom edge of the check as far down as possible between...

  • Page 96

    Quality control 6-10 generic micr fundamentals guide character skew does not occur with xerox printing systems. However, line skew may occur if the paper skews when passing through the printer or is poorly cut along the critical edge (see the following figure). Figure 6-7. Acceptable versus unaccept...

  • Page 97

    Quality control generic micr fundamentals guide 6-11 2. Hold the document firmly so that it does not slip. The bottom of the document should now bisect the vertical skew scales below boxes 10 and 46. The scales are graduated in 0.5 degree divisions from 0 (not marked) to 2.5 degrees (also not marked...

  • Page 98

    Quality control 6-12 generic micr fundamentals guide figure 6-9. Character spacing if it is possible to move the check so that all characters are within a character box, place the right edges of as many characters as possible at the right edges of their character boxes. Look at the entire line and n...

  • Page 99

    Quality control generic micr fundamentals guide 6-13 3. Look at the suspect character to see if its right edge falls between the two dotted lines defining the spacing tolerance zone. If the right edge of the character falls outside the dotted lines, it is outside the ±0.010 inch/0.25 mm leeway and i...

  • Page 100

    Quality control 6-14 generic micr fundamentals guide figure 6-10. Examples of voids extraneous ink spots extraneous ink spots are unwanted bits of ink that result from unavoidable splatter and smear of the magnetic printing inks. These spots, which may be invisible to the unaided eye, can affect the...

  • Page 101

    Quality control generic micr fundamentals guide 6-15 xerographic ink spots can be larger than the ansi specifications because of the low ferromagnetic component of the dry ink. Also, the xerographic soft spotting effect minimizes the signal pattern defect. The following table shows the xerox micr pr...

  • Page 102

    Quality control 6-16 generic micr fundamentals guide figure 6-11. Examples of extraneous ink spots.

  • Page 103

    Quality control generic micr fundamentals guide 6-17 signal strength signal strength or level is the relative ability of magnetic ink characters to generate a signal in an electromagnetic sensing device. The signal strength is a percent of a nominal value for each character. The ansi specification i...

  • Page 104

    Quality control 6-18 generic micr fundamentals guide the following table identifies the signal level tolerances for all of the micr characters. These standards are required by ansi standards; tolerances for other standards might vary. Example: a dash symbol has a nominal signal level of 67. If a sig...

  • Page 105

    Quality control generic micr fundamentals guide 6-19 figure 6-12. E13b characters and waveforms.

  • Page 106

    Quality control 6-20 generic micr fundamentals guide debossment and embossment debossment is the depression of the paper surface caused by printing pressure. It is commonly associated with letterpress and impact printing technologies, and is not produced by xerographic printing. However, when the ba...

  • Page 107

    Quality control generic micr fundamentals guide 6-21 summary of ansi standards parameter specifications testing tool format • right edge of first or right symbol must be 0.0625 inch/15.87 mm ±0.0625 inch/7.937 mm from the edge of the paper. • all e13b characters must be within 0.25 inch/6.35 mm hori...

  • Page 108

    Quality control 6-22 generic micr fundamentals guide additional performance considerations the following printing problems also can prevent the reader sorters from identifying a micr character. Dry ink slivers dry ink slivers are caused by a sharp point or edge gouging the characters. This gouging c...

  • Page 109

    Quality control generic micr fundamentals guide 6-23 quality measurements: magnetic versus optical if a micr quality issue arises, it should be visible on the printed document. Even signal strength problems can be seen if prints are compared. Low signal characters are thin and poorly formed; high si...

  • Page 110

    Quality control 6-24 generic micr fundamentals guide – waveforms measure only vertical stroke locations, while optical standards apply also to horizontal strokes. Some recognition technologies do not use waveforms, relying on locations of both horizontal and vertical strokes in a two-dimensional mat...

  • Page 111

    Quality control generic micr fundamentals guide 6-25 • character placement (0.125 inch/3.175 mm interval) – micr line registration is controlled by the right edge of a single transit character that is nominally 5.625 inches/ 142.89 mm from the reference edge. – transport speed calibration accuracy, ...

  • Page 112

    Quality control 6-26 generic micr fundamentals guide • when the results are displayed, the use of a template with highlighted “bad areas” does not indicate if there is a specification failure due to edge void and edge irregularity allowances. The dimensions of the template may be limited by screen r...

  • Page 113: Problem Solving

    Generic micr fundamentals guide 7-1 7. Problem solving micr problem investigations take different forms, depending on the nature of the problem, the availability of actual problem documents, and the willingness of the parties involved. Timely problem identification and resolution is especially impor...

  • Page 114

    Problem solving 7-2 generic micr fundamentals guide • the customer may issue checks from a single account that uses multiple printers. These printers may not all be xerox printers and they may be located in different cities. • the account holder may possess a blank check book order for years before ...

  • Page 115

    Problem solving generic micr fundamentals guide 7-3 a structured approach is required to discern which of the many sources is actually responsible for a high reject rate. The following flow chart illustrates the steps. Figure 7-1. Problem solving flowchart operator training application software unkn...

  • Page 116

    Problem solving 7-4 generic micr fundamentals guide determining the problem source you must identify the source of the problem before you can implement corrective actions. For document quality problems, you can best identify the cause by examining the rejected document and determining the most likel...

  • Page 117

    Problem solving generic micr fundamentals guide 7-5 application software any application change should be reason for a thorough inspection. Although new applications must be thoroughly tested before micr documents are issued, subtle application changes can have an impact on micr document performance...

  • Page 118

    Problem solving 7-6 generic micr fundamentals guide • process documents through the reader sorters a minimum of 20 passes. • use more than one reader sorter of the same model, if available. • retain a control batch of the test deck from processing in case there is a need for later runs. • remove jam...

  • Page 119

    Problem solving generic micr fundamentals guide 7-7 questions to consider when analyzing the results from a batch of documents that were tested in a reader sorter, you must ensure that the returned documents correspond to the reported rejects. You should ask the following questions: • what is the re...

  • Page 120

    Problem solving 7-8 generic micr fundamentals guide a statistically significant test to detect a 0.5 per cent rejection rate can be achieved with 2,000 to 3,000 documents. (the test case should not be less than 200 documents.) if the test set is too small, it may be biased by the fact that reader so...

  • Page 121

    Problem solving generic micr fundamentals guide 7-9 • is there a hardcopy report from the reader sorter? In many cases, a hardcopy report is not available from the reader sorter. Obtaining a printout from a test run is possible, but many runs present little data other than the problem documents. A r...

  • Page 122

    Problem solving 7-10 generic micr fundamentals guide • load xerox 4024 dual purpose, 24-pound paper (or a high quality equivalent). • verify that the bank regularly adjusts and cleans the reader sorter to the specifications set by the manufacturer. • make sure that the reject rate is based on a stat...

  • Page 123

    Problem solving generic micr fundamentals guide 7-11 the following table identifies typical problems that are associated with different reject rates. Note that the source of the problem can include the reader sorter itself. Table 7-1. Problems indicated by different reject rates if the reject rate i...

  • Page 124

    Problem solving 7-12 generic micr fundamentals guide inspecting documents always check for obvious problems first. • make sure that you are looking at the right documents. • check for the following: – correct font – micr clear band intrusion – correct vertical or horizontal position of font – correc...

  • Page 125

    Problem solving generic micr fundamentals guide 7-13 document damage even subtle damage can ruin a document. Characters may be cut by sharp edges within the reader sorter. If there are wrinkles in the document, the reader sorter may be causing its own errors. Leading edge damage in the reader sorter...

  • Page 126

    Problem solving 7-14 generic micr fundamentals guide job history or results ask the following questions: • is this the first time that this job has been run? • what happened on the other occasions? • is the current result an exception? Compare the documents with previous samples keep a record of bas...

  • Page 127

    Problem solving generic micr fundamentals guide 7-15 • where in the document do the rejects occur? Determine if they appear consecutively, in groups, or randomly: – is there a pattern to these rejects? For example, are they the same character, the same field, or do they regularly appear after a cert...

  • Page 128

    Problem solving 7-16 generic micr fundamentals guide all xerox micr printers incorporate micr diagnostic test patterns. These forms combine the needs of service diagnosis and call closeout with micr problem analysis and escalation. You may want to use separate test pattern files to verify individual...

  • Page 129: Security

    Generic micr fundamentals guide 8-1 8. Security the success and security of micr printing depends on the implementation of security procedures, document security features, and commitment by the customer. Xerox printing systems security security in the laser printing environment refers to features th...

  • Page 130

    Security 8-2 generic micr fundamentals guide important characteristics of a good security system are: • restricted access to printing capabilities • protection of the system software and key files • establishment of a complete and unalterable audit trail. • use of document security features that pro...

  • Page 131

    Security generic micr fundamentals guide 8-3 securing paper stocks the ability of the xerox micr printing system to print a form, signature, logo, and micr line on a check at the same time as the variable data eliminates the security problems resulting from keeping a supply of preprinted checks in s...

  • Page 132

    Security 8-4 generic micr fundamentals guide responsible presence the key to security in any document generation process is an individual or group that is responsible for safeguarding the printing process. For critical applications, the auditing operation has this responsibility. In small organizati...

  • Page 133

    Security generic micr fundamentals guide 8-5 if your system does not clear the contents of font memory, you can clear it by the following methods: • downloading a set of data that uses all available memory • powering the printers on and off • using special font utilities the print file should also b...

  • Page 134

    Security 8-6 generic micr fundamentals guide the operator captures and accounts for all jam scrap and makes sure that no missing or duplicate checks result from the jam. The audit process works only if all of the sheets in the jam are discretely identified. These sheets should be considered part of ...

  • Page 135

    Security generic micr fundamentals guide 8-7 tampering methods there are several methods by which data on a check may be altered. The security papers on which negotiable documents are printed are designed to thwart these forms of tampering. Chemical tampering many inks can be affected by particular ...

  • Page 136

    Security 8-8 generic micr fundamentals guide • selecting checks with a structured background pattern. This type of background accentuates the pattern change that results from tampering. Random check backgrounds may camouflage damage due to alteration. • using “fugitive” inks, which run when a solven...

  • Page 137

    Security generic micr fundamentals guide 8-9 fabric ribbon inks also soak into and around paper fibers. How much the inks soak in depends on how new the ribbon is. As the ribbon is reused, ink levels are depleted and the image does not bond as much to the paper. At this point, the image is easier to...

  • Page 138

    Security 8-10 generic micr fundamentals guide • excessive paper moisture causes poor heat transfer due to the energy dissipated driving off the water. • preprinted backgrounds with high ink coverage prevent contact of dry ink to paper, which is a prerequisite of a bond between them. Either problem c...

  • Page 139

    Security generic micr fundamentals guide 8-11 safety papers safety papers have a background that makes alteration easily visible. Scenic backgrounds or a repetitive pattern, such as a logo, are some examples. Safety papers that consist only of a patterned background are not foolproof. Many financial...

  • Page 140

    Security 8-12 generic micr fundamentals guide amount limit statements an example of an amount limit statement is “not valid for more than $xxx dollars.” the “$xxx” may be stated alphabetically or numerically. Both ways offer protection because two areas of the document must be altered. Some countrie...

  • Page 141

    Security generic micr fundamentals guide 8-13 microprint microprint is extremely small text that, unmagnified, looks like part of the check design. When magnified, it is a readable text message. Microprints are very effective in preventing check duplication because of their small image size. Like sa...

  • Page 142

    Security 8-14 generic micr fundamentals guide dataglyph™ dataglyph is a new technology that permits duplicate encoding of all variable data in a covert but machine readable form. Dataglyphs appear to be shaded areas. Under close examination, patterns of left and right tilted diagonal lines can be se...

  • Page 143

    Security generic micr fundamentals guide 8-15 • use a check that is protected. Many checks are printed on paper that has a chemical coating or has chemicals in its internal composition that react visually when solvents are applied or erasure is attempted. • avoid using correctable typewriter ribbons...

  • Page 144

    Security 8-16 generic micr fundamentals guide stolen checks blank checks may be removed from the premises by employees, delivery personnel, service technicians, customers, emergency personnel, or burglars. Missing checks may not be noticed immediately. In some cases, checks are intentionally thrown ...

  • Page 145

    Security generic micr fundamentals guide 8-17 • select a good check design. Review the design features that are effective against counterfeiting. Consult with the security officer at your bank and with your check supplier when considering specific protections. • install reconciliation procedures. Ma...

  • Page 146

    Security 8-18 generic micr fundamentals guide.

  • Page 147: References

    Generic micr fundamentals guide a-1 a. References standards documentation the following references are for both domestic and international check standards. Table a-1. Domestic check standards domestic standard number publication date bank check background and numerical convenience amount field ans x...

  • Page 148

    References a-2 generic micr fundamentals guide instructions for ordering u. S. Standards the ansi standards are available electronically and in hardcopy. You may order them from the following sources: ordering online you can obtain ansi standards documentation and information from the following web ...

  • Page 149

    References generic micr fundamentals guide a-3 standards development process information (u. S. Only) for information on joining the u.S. Standards development process, contact: associate director, asc x9 secretariat c/o american bankers association 1120 connecticut avenue n.W. Washington, d.C. 2003...

  • Page 150

    References a-4 generic micr fundamentals guide.

  • Page 151: Glossary

    Generic micr fundamentals guide glossary-1 glossary aba american bankers association or australian bankers association afnor l'association francoise de normalisation (afnor). Paris-based organization like the apacs. Standards authority for cmc-7 (nfz 63-001). Aligning edge the lower edge of the chec...

  • Page 152

    Glossary glossary-2 generic micr fundamentals guide basis weight the industry term for expressing the weight per unit of paper. Generally defined as the weight of a given size sheet in pounds per ream (usually 500 sheets) or grams per square meter (g/m2). For banking papers, this is normally the wei...

  • Page 153

    Glossary generic micr fundamentals guide glossary-3 check truncation the conversion of the information on a check into some form of electronic recording after it enters into the processing system. The process is called truncation because the physical processing of the check is cut short. Chipping th...

  • Page 154

    Glossary glossary-4 generic micr fundamentals guide curl the distortion of paper built in when paper is manufactured and placed on large rollers before being cut into sheets. Effect is intensified when paper is exposed to heat, pressure, moisture, and drying. A major cause of paper handling problems...

  • Page 155

    Glossary generic micr fundamentals guide glossary-5 embossment the raised impression of a printed character on a paper document. Embossment is caused on the back side of a document by impact processes that may use an excessive amount of pressure to imprint the character on the document. (see debossm...

  • Page 156

    Glossary glossary-6 generic micr fundamentals guide fugitive background a special print pattern, usually incorporating numerous repetitions of the bank's corporate logo, found on check documents. The pattern reacts chemically or physically if the document is tampered with, thus providing some measur...

  • Page 157

    Glossary generic micr fundamentals guide glossary-7 ionographic printer a printer that forms images by directing an array of negative ions onto a drum. After dry ink is attracted to the charged areas of the drum, the image is fused to the paper by cold pressure. Iso international organization for st...

  • Page 158

    Glossary glossary-8 generic micr fundamentals guide micr band 1. The .25-inch (6.35-mm) high region centered in the clear band that contains the micr characters. 2. The micr characters printed in the micr band. Mimeo paper an extremely rough, porous paper. Its high absorbency makes it ideal for the ...

  • Page 159

    Glossary generic micr fundamentals guide glossary-9 paper dust as saw dust is to wood, paper dust is to paper. It is made up of loose paper fibers and other residues which naturally accrue to paper. Controlling paper dust is a serious issue for the xerox micr printing system in terms of extraneous i...

  • Page 160

    Glossary glossary-10 generic micr fundamentals guide preprinted forms forms that have been previously printed which can be run through a printer in order to add variable data to them. Print density print density refers to the relative darkness of print on the page. Very dense print appears totally b...

  • Page 161

    Glossary generic micr fundamentals guide glossary-11 ribbon encoding the use of conventional computer impact printing technology for micr encoding, using a print chain with the e13b characters on it and a special ribbon impregnated with magnetic material. Routing number a numbering system that ident...

  • Page 162

    Glossary glossary-12 generic micr fundamentals guide texture the composition and feel of the surface of a paper, such as rough or smooth. Tappi the abbreviation for the u.S. Technical association of the pulp and paper industry which develops standardized test procedures for various properties of pap...

  • Page 163

    Glossary generic micr fundamentals guide glossary-13 xerography an imaging process used in copying and printing, where a photoreceptor (usually a drum or a belt) is electrically charged. Mirrors or a laser beam then remove the charge from selected sections of the photoreceptor that are not to be ima...

  • Page 164

    Glossary glossary-14 generic micr fundamentals guide.

  • Page 165: Index

    Generic micr fundamentals guide index-1 index symbols $ symbol 4-3 numerics 24 pound paper xerox dual purpose 3-8 300 dpi character conversion table 4-22 a aba 1-2 , 1-5 abrasion 7-13 ac readers see matrix reader sorters access files 8-4 – 8-5 media 8-2 printing facilities 8-2 account number 4-7 tit...

  • Page 166

    Index index-2 generic micr fundamentals guide c calibration document 6-4 – 6-5 characters alignment 4-16 damaged 6-22 dimensions cmc7 font 4-18 e13b font 4-9 e13b set 4-7 padding 3-15 ragged 6-22 spacing between 6-11 – 6-13 spacing requirements 4-19 – 4-22 vertical positioning 6-8 checks account tit...

  • Page 167

    Index generic micr fundamentals guide index-3 disposal checks 8-3 , 8-16 equipment 8-3 diverter plate 5-10 document specifications form 4-11 – 4-12 documents inspecting 7-12 – 7-14 turnaround 2-2 see also checks drop-out ink 3-15 print preventing duplication 8-13 dry ink slivers 6-22 dual read reade...

  • Page 168

    Index index-4 generic micr fundamentals guide characteristics 4-20 ocr 1-3 problem solving 7-12 proportional 4-19 – 4-22 characteristics 4-21 security 3-15 selection hp pcl escape sequence 4-20 tampering prevention 8-10 format e13b specifications 4-7 – 4-15 field e13b font 4-9 – 4-16 summary for e13...

  • Page 169

    Index generic micr fundamentals guide index-5 micr gauge 6-2 using 6-6 – 6-11 micr line 4-5 format 4-5 – 4-6 illustration 1-1 position 4-5 – 4-6 symbols on 4-7 – 4-8 vertical positioning 6-9 micr process, xerox 2-3 microfibers 3-14 microfilm unit, reader sorter 5-9 microprint 3-14 preventing duplica...

  • Page 170

    Index index-6 generic micr fundamentals guide micr line 4-5 – 4-6 vertical 6-7 – 6-9 positive pay 8-15 , 8-16 preprinted forms 3-13 – 3-17 paper curl direction 3-6 pressure, cold tampering 8-9 print file, clearing 8-5 print quality specifications 6-1 printer problem solving 7-4 printing checks 1-5 –...

  • Page 171

    Index generic micr fundamentals guide index-7 sample button 8-6 sample documents inspecting 6-5 – 6-6 sample printing maintaining security 8-6 security access files 8-4 – 8-5 media 8-2 printing system 8-2 characteristics of a good system 8-2 clearing print file 8-5 cost effectiveness 8-17 designing ...

  • Page 172

    Index index-8 generic micr fundamentals guide temperature paper environment 3-10 test patterns maintaining security 8-6 using for quality control 7-15 – 7-16 testing equipment, magnetic 6-3 – 6-4 horizontal positioning 6-6 – 6-7 inspecting documents 7-12 – 7-14 magnetic equipment usage 6-23 – 6-25 m...