BANCTEC

90690/E-SERIES DOCUMENT PROCESSOR MEDIA GUIDE

352747, REV C

TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF TABLES OVERVIEW SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS E13-B MAGNETIC INK CHARACTER RECOGNITION CMC-7 MAGNETIC INK CHARACTER RECOGNITION OPTICAL CHARACTER RECOGNITION (OCR) PRINTING DEVICE CONSIDERATIONS MEDIA EVALUATION AIDS SUBJECT INDEX

Notice

BancTec, Inc., has prepared this manual for use by BancTec personnel as a guide for the proper installation, operation, and/or maintenance of BancTec equipment and, if applicable, software. The drawings, specifications, and information contained herein are the property of BancTec and any unauthorized use or disclosure of such drawings, specifications, and information is prohibited. The drawings, specifications, and information shall not be reproduced, transmitted, copied, or used, by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, in whole or in part, as a basis for the manufacture or sale of equipment or for any other purpose whatsoever without the prior written consent of BancTec, Inc. The software described herein is furnished either under a license agreement or a nondisclosure agreement. BancTec suggests users verify that the product information at their disposal is current and relevant before placing orders on BancTec equipment. BancTec reserves the right to modify, change, or discontinue any information in this document and in any product or service described herein without notice. Such information does not represent a commitment on the part of BancTec, Inc. All BancTec equipment described herein is sold subject to its applicable terms and conditions of sale, including its limited warranty, a copy of which is available upon request. Testing and other quality control techniques are utilized to the extent BancTec deems appropriate. BancTec assumes no liability for application assistance, customer product design, or software performance.

90690/E-Series Media Guide

United States Government Restricted Rights

2 3

The software and information contained herein are provided with Restricted Rights. Use, duplication, or disclosure by the Government is subject to restrictions as set forth in subparagraph (c)(1)(ii) of the Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software clause at DFARS 252.227-7013 or subparagraphs (c)(1) and (2) of the Commercial Computer Software - Restricted Rights at 48 CFR 52.227-19, as applicable. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of the equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense. SpeedFIRST, E-Series, and Universal Transport (UT) are Trademarks of BancTec, Inc. BancTec, Inc. is a U. S. Registered Trademark of BancTec, Inc. Pentium is a Registered Trademark of Intel Corporation. All other products or name brands are trademarks of their respective holder.

Notes

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90690/E-Series Media Guide

Warning

This device Generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy, and if not installed in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause interference to radio communications. The user is cautioned that changes or modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the users authority to operate the equipment. This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) This device must accept any interference that may cause undesired operation. THIS DIGITAL APPARATUS DOES NOT EXCEED THE CLASS A LIMITS FOR RADIO NOISE EMISSIONS FROM DIGITAL APPARATUS AS SET OUT IN THE RADIO INTERFERENCE REGULATIONS OF THE CANADIAN DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS. LE PRESENT APPAREIL NUMEMRIQUE NEMET PAS DE BRUITS RADIOELECTRIQUES DEPASSANT LES LIMITES APPLICABLES AUX APPAREILS NUMERIQUES DE CLASS A PRESCRITES DANS LE REGLEMENT SUR LE BROUILLAGE RADIOELECTRIQUE EDICTE PAR LE MINISTERE DES COMMUNICATIONS DU CANANDA.

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Revision History
6

90690/E-Series Media Guide, Part Number 352747 ECO Number A B C Date 7/99 6/25/98 Description Original Release Reformat for FrameMaker

M57129

Address all comments concerning this publication to: Technical Publications Department 2701 E. Grauwyler Rd. (MS 69) Irving, Texas 75061 Phone: (972) 579-6000 / Fax: (972) 579-6802 E-Mail Address: techpubs.eng@banctec.com

COPYRIGHT 2000, 1999, 1998, by BancTec, Inc. Printed in the United States of America All rights reserved PTINTED VERSION NOT CONTROLLED FOR REVISION

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Table of Contents

Overview
Related Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

System Requirements
Document Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mechanical Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Other Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paper Weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Substance Weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Basis Weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Substance Weight Determination . . . . . . . Conversion from Basis to Substance Weight Conversion from Pounds to Metric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1 2-2 2-4 2-5 2-5 2-5 2-5 2-6 2-6

E-13B Magnetic Ink Character Recognition

E-13B Font . . . . . . Paper . . . . . . . . . . Clear Band . . . . . . Print Band. . . . . . . Margins . . . . . . . . Print Specifications. Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1 3-1 3-2 3-2 3-2 3-3 3-3

CMC-7 Magnetic Ink Character Recognition

CMC-7 Font . . . . . . Paper . . . . . . . . . . Clear Band . . . . . . Print Band. . . . . . . Margins . . . . . . . . Print Specifications. . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... ... ... ... ... ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1 4-2 4-2 4-2 4-2 4-3

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Table of Contents

Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

Font Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OCR-A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OCR-B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OCR Paper Optical Specifications . . . . . . . . Margins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clear Band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Print Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Print Contrast Signal (PCS) . . . . . . . . Calculations for Print Contrast . . . Non-Read Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Acceptable Inks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Character Spacing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Character Pitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printed Character Dimensions . . . . . . Average Edge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stroke Center-line . . . . . . . . . . . Stroke Width . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Range Y Tolerances . . . . . . . . . . Major Print Faults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Voids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Smudges and Extraneous Marks . Edge Irregularities . . . . . . . . . . . Line and Character Skew . . . . . . . . . Line Skew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Character Skew . . . . . . . . . . . . . Two-Line OCR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2 . 5-2 . 5-2 . 5-2 . 5-3 . 5-4 . 5-5 . 5-6 . 5-6 . 5-7 . 5-7 . 5-8 . 5-9 5-10 5-11 5-11 5-11 5-12 5-12 5-12 5-13 5-13 5-13 5-14 5-14 5-15 5-15

Printing Device Considerations

Imprinter Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1 Non-impact Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2

Media Evaluations Aids

Comparator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1 Paper Gauge Micrometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1

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List of Illustrations
Figure 1.1:

Section 1
Typical 90690 Document Processor . . . . . . . . 1-1

Section 2
Figure 2.1: 90690 Document Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3

Section 3
Figure 3.1: E-13B Clear Band, Print Band, and Margins . . . 3-2

Section 4
Figure 4.1: Figure 4.2: CMC-7 Font . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1 CMC-7 Clear Band, Print Band, and Margins . . 4-3

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List of Illustrations

Section 5
Figure Figure Figure Figure Figure Figure Figure Figure Figure Figure 5.1: 5.2: 5.3: 5.4: 5.5: 5.6: 5.7: 5.8: 5.9: 5.10: Example of OCR-A, Size 1, Font . . . . . . . Example of OCR-B, Size 1 Font . . . . . . . Example of 7B Font . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Minimum Document Margins . . . . . . . . . Dimensions of Clear Band and Read Band Character Spacing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Character Parts Nomenclature . . . . . . . . Example of Character Faults . . . . . . . . . Line Skew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Character Skew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2 . . . 5-2 . . . 5-2 . . . 5-4 . . . 5-5 . . . 5-10 . . . 5-11 . . . 5-12 . . . 5-14 . . . 5-15 . . . .

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List of Tables
Section 2
Table 2.1: Table 2.2: Mechanical Properties of Documents . . . . . . . . . . 2-2 Paper Weight Conversion Factors . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4

Section 3
Table 3.1: Example of E-13B Fonts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1

Section 5
Table Table Table Table 5.1: 5.2: 5.3: 5.4: Special OCR Paper Optical Specifications Preferred Inks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Acceptable Inks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Font Dimensions Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3 5-8 5-8 5-9

Section 7
Table 7.1: Caliper to Weight Correlations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1

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List of Tables

90690/E-Series Media Guide

Overview

This manual specifies the document properties required to ensure optimum compatibility with the paper motion systems, control logic, Magnetic Ink and Optical Character Recognition, and Encoding and Imaging features of the 90690 Document Processor (Figure 1.1). Those general specifications which are applicable to the 90690 Document Processor regardless of the type of Character Recognition method installed are given in System Requirements on Page 2-1. Additional requirements applicable to specific Character Recognition systems are given in subsequent sections.

Figure 1.1: Typical 90690 Document Processor

90690/E-Series Media Guide

1-1

Overview

Related Documentation
BancTec, Inc. provides comprehensive product documentation for the 90690 as follows: TITLE PART NUMBER 395018 318760 368976 331514 388404 388404 378532 349893 This Document 397636 358466 371135 372919 379441 358299 365139 358658 319505 356261 97264 397264 329060 Field Weighted Mixed Deck, BancTec, Inc. Installation and Maintenance Manual, 90690 Stacker Module Maintenance, Cinemode Microfilm Camera Maintenance, Duo-Duplex Microfilm Camera with Appendix A Maintenance, Feed Module, 90690 Maintenance, Hardware, 90690 Maintenance, Hardware, 90690 Encoder Module Maintenance, Hardware, ISA Reader Media Manual, 90690 Operator's Manual, 90690 Operator's Manual, Encoder Programmer Reference, Extended DSL Site Planning Manual, 90690 Specification, Acceptance Test, Manufacturing, 90690 Specification, Image Format, BancTec, Inc. Specification, Interface, Hardware, OEM Specification, Interface, Image Data Specification, Product, 90690 Document Processor Specification, Product, Encoder, 90690 Test Deck, OCR, Alphanumeric, BancTec, Inc. Test Deck, OCR, Numeric, BancTec, Inc. User's Guide, Software, 90690

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90690/E-Series Media Guide

System Requirements
The Media specifications in this section are applicable to the 90690 Document Processor regardless of which Character Recognition system is used.

Document Dimensions
The template provided in Figure 2.1 represents the total overall allowable 90690 document dimensions including any carrier envelopes, correction strips, or add-on stickers. All 90690 document dimensions are: 4.5 to 9.0" (114.3 to 228.6 mm) long; 2.75 to 4.25" (69.9 to 108 mm) high.

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System Requirements

Mechanical Properties
Documents to be processed by the 90690 must be composed of paper meeting the criteria given in Table 2.2. Table 2.1: Mechanical Properties of Documents Characteristic Caliper Substance Weight (pounds, 17 in. x 22 in. 500 sheets) Grammage Smoothness Stiffness Tear (Elmendorf) Porosity (Gurley) Grain Specification 0.076 to 0.18 mma (0.003 to .007 in) 20 to 43b 75 to 1612 Maximum Reading 125 Maximum Reading 185 Minimum 100 in long Dimension Direction Minimum 40 either direction 15 to 95 Either Direction2 Subject to weight restrictions above.
a. Carrier documents up to .014" (0.36 mm) b. For paper less than 24 lb. (90 gms/m2) ONLY LONG GRAIN DRECTIONS IS SUPPORTED.

Standard Test Method TAPPI T411-0S-68 TAPPI T410-0S-68

TAPPI T410-0S-68 Sheffield Gurley Gurley TAPPI T414-TS-65 TAPPI T460-0S-68

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90690/E-Series Media Guide

System Requirements

4.25 IN. (10.8 cm) MAXIMUM

2.75 IN. (6.9 9 cm) MINIMUM

Figure 2.1: 90690 Document Template

90690/E-Series Media Guide

4.50 IN (1 1.43 cm) MINIMUM

9.0 IN (22 .86 cm) MAXIMUM

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System Requirements

Other Considerations
Substitution items are the preferred means of handling unusable items. If required, double-ended carrier envelopes meeting ANSI/ABA X9.29-1992 can be used provided overall dimensions do not exceed those previously stated in Document Dimensions on Page 2-1.

Open-ended or exceptionally slick or flexible envelopes are not recommended.

Add-on Correctional Stickers may be used provided overall dimensions stated previously are not exceeded. Overlay Correctional Stickers may not be used with MICR. Edge serrations should be kept to a minimum in size and frequency in order to minimize their adverse effects on feeding and handling of documents. Corner cuts or indentations are not permitted on the corner connecting the Reference Edge to the Leading Edge of the document. Corner Cuts in other areas of the document must be limited to a maximum of 12.7 mm (0.5 in); there must not be more than one such area per document. The Reference Edge, also called the Aligning Edge, is the bottom edge of the document. The Leading Edge is the right-hand edge of the document. Reference E-13B Magnetic Ink Character Recognition on Page 3-1, Figure 3.1 for an example. Table 2.2: Paper Weight Conversion Factors Type of Paper Bond Cover Bristol Index Tag Book Basic Size 8.5 x 11 20 x 26 22.5 x 28.5 25.5 x 30.5 24 x 36 25 x 38 Basis Weight Conversion Factor X 4.000 x 0.719 X 0.623 X 0.481 X 0.433 X 0.394 Substance Weight (Pounds) = = = = = =

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90690/E-Series Media Guide

System Requirements

Paper Weight
Substance Weight Substance Weight, the dominant standard for the commercial trade, is defined as the weight of a ream of 500 sheets of paper cut to 17 x 22". References to Paper Weight in this manual mean Substance Weight, unless otherwise specified. Basis Weight Basis Weight is defined as the weight of a ream of paper, usually 500 sheets, cut to a basic size. Paper is sometimes specified by Basis Weight rather than by Substance Weight. Some common papers, with an indication of their basic size, are shown in Conversion from Basis to Substance Weight on Page 2-6. Where Basis Weight is known, multiply by the appropriate conversion factor to compute Substance Weight. Substance Weight Determination Compute the Substance Weight of existing documents as follows: Weigh n documents Measure height and length of document in inches Then apply the formula: sw = 374 x W x 500 HxLxn

Where:

SW=Substance Weight in Pounds W= Weight of n documents H= Height of document measured in inches L= Length of document measured in inches n= Number of documents weighed.

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System Requirements

Conversion from Basis to Substance Weight Convert paper manufacturers' data from Basis Weight to Substance Weight by application of the formula: sw = 374 x BW Where: WxL

SW=Substance Weight in Pounds BW=Basis Weight in Pounds W=Width of basic sheet measured in inches L=Length of basic sheet measured in inches.

If Basis Weight is calculated on 480 sheets rather than 500, multiply SW as computed in the formula by 1.042 to achieve an equivalent value.
Conversion from Pounds to Metric To convert Substance Weight in pounds to Substance Weight in grams per square meter, use the formula: SW (gm/m2) = SW (lbs) x 3.7597

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90690/E-Series Media Guide

E-13B Magnetic Ink Character Recognition

3

The Media Specifications in this Section are applicable to 90690 Document Processors with the American Banking Association (ABA) E-13B MICR option; they are in addition to those General Specifications discussed in Section 2.0.

E-13B Font
The E-13B Font consists of the standard magnetic ink printed digits 0-9 and four special characters as described in ANSI (American National Standards Institute) X9.27-1988. In addition to recognizing the digits 0 through 9 and four special characters, the E-13B Reader identifies the first (and only the first) unprinted character position following one or more printed characters as a space. Specifically, character spacing in excess of 6.35 mm (0.25 in) Lead Edge to Lead Edge results in detection of one, and only one, space. The E-13B space character (Table 3.1) may be suppressed or transmitted, through configuration of the hardware, to the transport controller. Table 3.1: Example of E-13B Fonts 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
(Stroke 0) (Stroke 1) (Stroke 2) (Stroke 3) (Stroke 4) (Stroke 5) (Stroke 6)

7 8 9 A

(Stroke 7) (Stroke 8) (Stroke 9) (Stroke 10) (Transit) (Symbol 1) (Stroke 11) (Amount) (Symbol 2) (Stroke 12) (On-Us) (Symbol 3)

(Stroke 13) (Dash) (Symbol 4)

Paper
Only paper which has had the magnetic particles, such as iron and other ferromagnetic materials, removed entirely or reduced to an absolute minimum should be used with E-13B.

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E-13B Magnetic Ink Character Recognition

Clear Band
A 15.88 mm (0.625 in) high Clear Band must be provided along the Bottom Edge of the document through out the Read Zone. This Clear Band must be free of any magnetic ink other than the E-13B printing; this rule applies to both the front and back sides.

Print Band
The E-13B printing shall be located within a band no higher than 11.13 mm (0.438 in) from the bottom edge of the document.

Margins
The right-hand edge of the first (or right-hand) character shall be located not less than 6.35 mm (0.25 in) from the right-hand edge of the document. Reference Figure 3.1. The left-hand edge of the last (or left-hand) character shall be located not less than 6.35 mm (0.35 in) from the left-hand edge of the document.

6.35 mm (.25

6.35 mm (.25

LEADING EDGE

REFERENCE EDGE 15.88 mm (.625 in.) 11.13 mm (.438 in.) Print Band

Figure 3.1: E-13B Clear Band, Print Band, and Margins

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90690/E-Series Media Guide

E-13B Magnetic Ink Character Recognition

Print Specifications
Print Specifications are as described in ANSI X9.27-1988, Print Specifications for Magnetic Ink Character Recognition.

Formats
The formats described in ANSI X9.13-1990 normally apply for banking applications; however, the field definition capabilities of the 90690 Document Processor are flexible. For particular applications, formats other than the standard banking formats may be used. In the event other than the standard banking formats are used, all requirements of this manual still apply, except for the reference to ANSI X9.13-1990.

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E-13B Magnetic Ink Character Recognition

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90690/E-Series Media Guide

CMC-7 Magnetic Ink Character Recognition

4

The Media specifications in this section are applicable to 90690 Document Processors configured with the European Computer Manufacturer's Association CMC-7 Magnetic Ink Character Recognition option installed. The specifications provided in this section apply in addition to the specifications given in System Requirements on Page 2-1.

CMC-7 Font
The CMC-7 Font consists of the standard magnetic ink printed digits 0-9 and five special characters as described in ISO 1004-1977, having a 3.2 mm (0.126 in) character height. In addition to recognizing the CMC-7 Font shown in Figure 4.1, the CMC-7 Reader identifies the first (and only the first) unprinted character position following one or more printed characters as a space. Any intercharacter distance of 2.9 mm (0.114 in) or greater results in the detection of one (and only one) space, while a distance of 2.0 mm (0.079 in) or less does not result in detection of a space. The detected CMC-7 space character may be suppressed or transmitted, through configuration of the hardware, to the transport controller.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 (SI) (Symbol 1) (SII) (Symbol 2) (SIII) (Symbol 3) (SIV) (Symbol 4) (SV) (Symbol 5)

Figure 4.1: CMC-7 Font

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CMC-7 Magnetic Ink Character Recognition

Paper
Only paper which has had the magnetic particles, such as iron and other ferromagnetic materials, removed entirely or reduced to an absolute minimum should be used with CMC-7.

Clear Band
A 15.88 mm (0.625 in) high Clear Band must be provided along the Bottom Edge of the document through out the Read Zone. This Clear Band must be free of any magnetic ink other than the CMC-7 printing; this rule applies to both the front and back sides.

Print Band
The CMC-7 printing shall be located within a band no higher than 11.2 mm (0.44 in) from the bottom edge of the document.

Margins
The right-hand edge of the first (or right-hand) character shall be located not less than 6.0 mm (0.236 in) from the right-hand edge of the document. Reference Figure 4.2 The left-hand edge of the last (or left-hand) character shall be located not less than 2.0 mm (0.079 in) from the left-hand edge of the document.

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CMC-7 Magnetic Ink Character Recognition

Print Specifications
Print Specifications are as described in ISO 1004-1977, Print Specifications for Magnetic Ink Character Recognition Part Two - Font CMC-7.

2 mm (.079 in.)

6 mm (.236 in.)

LEADING EDGE

REFERENCE EDGE 15.88 mm (.625 in.) 11.2 mm (.44 in.)

Figure 4.2: CMC-7 Clear Band, Print Band, and Margins

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CMC-7 Magnetic Ink Character Recognition

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90690/E-Series Media Guide

Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

5

The specifications given in this section are applicable to 90690 Document Processors with one-line or two-line OCR options installed. These specifications cover the various OCR Fonts available, and describe the format and other criteria necessary for document design; they are in addition to those general specifications discussed in System Requirements on Page 2-1.

90690/E-Series Media Guide

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Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

Font Options
The font options that may be used with the 90690 Document Processor are OCR-A (Size I), OCR-B (Size I), and 7-B. OCR-A The OCR-A (Size I) Font is shown in Figure 5.1; it consists of a full Alphanumeric Set, a Numeric Subset, and associated special characters. Reference also, ANSI X3.17 - 1981 (Revised 1989).
ALPHANUMERIC

NUMERIC SUBSET

Figure 5.1: Example of OCR-A, Size 1, Font OCR-B The OCR-B (Size I) Font is shown in Figure 5.2; it consists of a full Alphanumeric Set, a Numeric Subset, and associated special characters. Reference also, ECMA-11 (March 1976).
ALPHANUMERIC SET

NUMERIC SUBSET

Figure 5.2: Example of OCR-B, Size 1 Font 7-B The 7-B Font is shown in Figure 5.3; it consists of the digits 0-9. Reference also, the Farrington Specifications for 7-B.

Figure 5.3: Example of 7B Font

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Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

OCR Paper Optical Specifications

Special OCR Paper Optical Specifications are applicable wherever Optical Character Recognition options are used. The specifications are given in Table 5.1; they are in addition to those General Specifications discussed in Section 2. Table 5.1: Special OCR Paper Optical Specifications Characteristic Reflectance* Specification Average Reflectance from 0.1 sq. in. area not less than 70% relative to Barium Sulfate Std. at 100% Minimum 85% Maximum 25% (0% preferred) Standard Test Method TAPPI T452-OS-58

Opacity* Cotton (rag) Content Dirt

TAPPI T425-M-60 -

10 parts per million maximum. TAPPI T437-TS-63 Particles longer or wider than 0.004 in. are undesirable. Gloss Avoid using high gloss super calendared or coated papers Surface Properties Avoid oil and grease resistant papers Fluorescence None desired, traces permissible. Color White is preferred, pale shades of some colors may be permissible *Reflectance and opacity measurements should be taken at 6328 Angstroms for OCR applications. However, measurements at 6200 Angstroms may normally be used with white paper.

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Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

Margins
OCR document Margins prevent the reading of any shadows cast by the document edges, and help exclude carbon smudges around the edges of documents. Margins are defined as the perpendicular or horizontal distance from any document edge; or from the beginning of any perforations to the edges of a character. Left and right margins must be at least 9.53 mm (0.375 in). Top and bottom margins must be at least 6.35 mm (0.250 in). The centerline of a data line to be read must be at least 7.92 mm (0.3 in) from the bottom or the top edge of the document. The maximum height (centerline) of a scan line from the bottom of a document is 114.3 mm (4.5"). Reference Figure 5.4.
6.35 mm (0.25 7.62 mm (0.30

CL

9.53 mm (0.375

DATA PLACEMENT EXTREMI-

9.53 mm (0.375

CL

6.35 mm (0.25

7.62 mm (0.30

Figure 5.4: Minimum Document Margins

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Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

Clear Band
The Clear Band is a horizontal strip extended the length of the document and centered on the Read Band; the Read Band contains the Data Line to be read. The Read Band is discussed in more detail in Print Specifications on Page 5-6. The Clear Band may contain only data to be read; no tears, holes, cuts, staple marks, vertically adjacent characters or lines, or detectable printing or marks, will be tolerated within the Clear Band The Clear Band is centered about the Read Band and extends 3.18 mm (0.125 in) above and below the Read Band. The size relationship between the Clear Band and the Read Band is illustrated in Figure 5.5. The Clear Band dimension is 13.34 mm (0.525 in) for all Fonts described in this manual. A Scan Band of 9.91 mm (0.39 in) is not shown. The Clear Band shown with a centered Print Band allows reasonable tolerances for document design and manufacture, alignment in the printing device, and system paper handling.

13.34 mm (0.525 in) ALL FONTS 3.18 mm (0.125 in)

CLEAR BAND

READ BAND 6.99 mm (0.275 in)

3.18 mm (0.125 in)

Figure 5.5: Dimensions of Clear Band and Read Band

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Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

Print Specifications
The appropriate ANSI or other similar specifications also apply where not in conflict. Print Contrast Signal (PCS) The Print Contrast Signal (PCS) must be equal to or greater than 0.6 for at least 85% of the character area with no more than 5% of the character area less than 0.4 within the boundary of the character defined by the Minimum Stroke Width as defined in ANSI specs. Print Contrast is defined as the difference in diffuse reflectance (based on barium sulfate as the 100 percent reflectance standard) between a printed character and the paper on which it is printed; this reflectance difference is termed the PCS (Print Contrast Signal). Print Contrast measurements are usually expressed in the print contrast decimal scale, but are sometimes referred to as reflectance percentage values. Print Contrast is determined by applying the formula: PCSp = Rw - Rp Rw Where: PCSp p Rw Rp = = = = The Print Contrast Signal measured from an inspection area p A circular area with a diameter of 0.008" (0.2 mm) Reflectance measured within 0.25" (6.35 mm) of p Reflectance from area p located within the boundary of a minimum character stroke width.

Percent PCS = PCSp x 100.

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Calculations for Print Contrast Print contrast for OCR printing must be equal to, or greater than, 60 percent. A document to be read has a reflectance of 90 percent. Calculate the maximum permissible reflectance of the character stroke by applying the formula for Print Contrast. Rp = Rw (1 - PCSp) RP = 0.9 (1 - 0.6) Rp = 0.36 Accordingly, the maximum reflectance from the printed character must be 0.36, or 36 percent. If any of the characters on the Data Line are printed over a Non-Read Color, use the reflectance of the Non-Read color rather than the reflectance of the basic document in calculating PCS. Reflectance measurements should be taken at 6328 Angstroms for OCR applications. Reflectance can be measured using the equipment described in Non-Read Colors on Page 5-7 of this manual. Non-Read Colors Non-Read colors, also referred to as drop-out colors or drop-out inks, serve as visual guides and must not interfere with data reading. They must retain 92 percent of the reflectance of the paper used, and the PCS cannot be greater than 0.08. In general, the Non-Read colors are in the yellow-orange-red portion of the spectrum. Forms printed with Non-Read colors should be tested to make certain that adequate ink reflectance is maintained throughout the production run. Reflectance of Non-Read inks can be measured by the Moore 082a (Kidder 082) Optical Character Tester, a product of Moore Business Forms, Inc., 270 Locust Street, Dover, New Hampshire 03820; or by using the Macbeth PCM-II Print Contrast Meter, a product of Macbeth Division of Kollmorgen Corporation, P.O. Box 950T, Newburgh, New York 12550. The Moore 082a (Kidder 082) setting for OCR is I.R./No Filter. The PCM-II setting for OCR is Filter B.

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Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

Acceptable Inks The 90690 read sub-system is highly sensitive to red an infrared light, less sensitive to blue light. Inks which DO NOT absorb red (for example, red ink) make good drop-out inks for the 90690; while inks which DO absorb red (for example, blue or green) make poor drop-out inks; however, the 90690 is biased as far as possible toward infrared sensitivity, taking into account that almost all colored inks are infrared transparent, this in turn makes many inks acceptable as drop-out inks as long as they are not too dense. Preferred inks are at the red end of the color spectrum; the red and pink inks BancTec, Inc. recommends are shown in Table 5.2. Other inks which are acceptable are given in Table 5.3. Solid printing of some inks will interfere with recognition; this effect can be reduced by screening the ink (30%) during the printing process. In all cases a white background is highly recommended. Table 5.2: Preferred Inks Color Red Red Red Red Red Pink Pink Ink J-19410 J-24882 J-30495 J-25083 J-6983 J-24944 J-24893

Table 5.3: Acceptable Inks Color Orange Magenta Yellow Light Blue Light Blue Light Blue Light Blue Light Green-Green Light Green Light Green Ink J-30269 J-22045 J-24182 J-27972 J-27973 J-31858 J-24662 J-24555 J-24554 J-24185

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Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

Character Spacing Characters on the Read Line of a document must be spaced so that adjacent characters are separated by at least the nominal Stroke Width. Horizontal character spacing is defined as the space between the vertical center-lines of adjacent characters. The horizontal character spacing of all character sets discussed in this manual is given in Table 5.4, and shown in Figure 5.6. Table 5.4: Font Dimensions Chart Font Option ANSI OCR-A NUMERIC OR ALPHANUMERIC SIZE 1 ECMA OCR-B NUMERIC OR ALPHANUMERIC SIZE 1 7B NUMERIC Stroke Width 0.36 + 0.15mm (.014 + .006 in.) 0.36 + 0.15mm (.014 + .006 in.) Nominal Pitch 2.54mm (.100 in.) Min Pitch 2.29 mm (.090 in.) 2.29 mm (.090 in.) Max Pitch 3.18 mm (.125 in.) 3.18 mm (.125 in.) Min Clear 2.29 mm (.090 in.) 2.29 mm (.090 in.) Height Centerline 2.39 mm (.094 in.) 2.39 mm (.094 in.) Width Centerline 1.40 mm (.055 in.) 1.40 mm (.055 in.)

2.54mm (.100 in.)

0.51 + 0.13mm (.020 + .005 in.

3.63 mm (.143 in.)

3.30 mm (.130 in.)

5.08 mm (.200 in.)

4.06 mm (.160 in.)

3.81 mm (.150 in.)

2.03mm (.080 in.)

Minimum LVM is 0.36mm (.014 in.) Maximum Pitch that will never yield a Space Code Minimum clear space between adjacent characters that will always yield a Space Code

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Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

CL

CHARACTER SPACING REFERENCE LINE CL CL CLEAR SPACE

CL

CHARACTER SPACING

Figure 5.6: Character Spacing Character Pitch Character Pitch is defined as the number of characters in a horizontal inch (25.4 mm) of data. ANSI OCR-A (Size 1) and ECMA-11 OCR-B (Size 1) character sets have a nominal character pitch of 10 characters per inch (CPI); the 7-B Font has a nominal character pitch of 7 CPI. The generation of Space Codes is based on defined specifications for clear space between characters. The clear space limits for Space Code generation are given in the Font Dimensions Chart, Table 5.4, and shown in Figure 5.6.

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Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

Printed Character Dimensions Characteristics of printed data include the height and width of a character as well as the stroke width. Nominal center-line dimensions have a tolerance of + 0.08 mm (+ 0.003 in). The center-line dimensions which apply to Fonts readable by the 90690 Document Processor are given in Table 5.4; the various no nomenclatures are illustrated in Figure 5.7.

CHARACTER WIDTH AVERAGE EDGES

STROKE CENTERLINE

CHARACTER HEIGHT

STROKE WIDTH

Figure 5.7: Character Parts Nomenclature Average Edge The Average Edge of a printed character is defined as the imaginary line bisecting the irregularities of the character edges. Stroke Center-line The Stroke Center-line is represented by a line drawn equidistant from the two Average Edges of a character and following the character configuration. Reference Table 5.7.

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Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

Stroke Width Character Stroke Width is defined as the width of the horizontal, vertical, curved, or slanted segment of a character as illustrated in Figure 5.7. Stroke Width is the distance between the Average Edges of the stroke. Nominal Stroke Width dimensions and tolerances for all Fonts discussed in this manual are shown in Table 5.4. Range Y Tolerances Nominal Stroke Width variation limits for OCR-A (Size 1) and ECMA-11 OCR-B (Size 1) characters are Range Y Tolerances as defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Major Print Faults Each printed character may contain many faults not obvious to the eye; these faults can reduce the prospects of accurate reading. The more common faults include Voids, Smudges, Extraneous Marks, and Edge Irregularities, and are shown in the magnified numeral five shown in Figure 5.8.

VOIDS

SMUDGE

EDGE IRREGULARI-

EXTRANEOUS MARKS

SMUDGE

EDGE IRREGULARITIS

Figure 5.8: Example of Character Faults

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Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

Voids Voids are areas inside the Minimum Character Outline Limit that can be identified as being of significantly lower density than the rest of the printed image. Voids can be measured visually or in terms of PCS. The distinction between allowable voids and non-allowable voids is based upon a measurement of their size. 1. Allowable Voids Allowable Voids can be identified with a Comparator, viewing the area within the Minimum Character Outline Limit. Voids are allowable if the Void can be contained entirely within an area viewed by moving a 0.20 mm (0.008 in) diameter circle along a straight line in any direction of 0.10 mm (0.004 in) or less. Smudges and Extraneous Marks The PCS must be equal to, or greater than, 60 percent within the boundary of the character defined by the Minimum Stroke Width (reference Two-Line OCR on Page 5-15). Outside the boundary of the character defined by the Maximum Stroke Width, the PCS should not exceed 30 percent. The ratio of the minimum PCS (measured within the Maximum Stroke Width boundary of the character) to the maximum PCS (measured outside the Maximum Stroke Width boundary of the character) must be at least 2 to 1. Edge Irregularities The more common faults affecting Stroke Width include worn or heavily inked printing ribbons, mis-aligned type slugs, uneven striking force over the face of the imprinting keys, worn type, and uneven ink distribution. A printing ribbon that has been used extensively tends to produce a thin character which fails Minimum Stroke requirements for contrast (blackness). Heavily inked ribbons tend to exaggerate the stroke, splattering the ink beyond the edges of the character; this results in problems of Smudge and Edge Irregularities. The thicker polyethylene or polyester (such as Mylar) ribbons produce these same undesirable results. If the type slug does not impact the platen squarely, the density of the printed character tends to vary over its stroke area. The striking force of the key or the type of platen used can produce print of

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Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

unacceptable quality with an impression that is either too light or too heavy in at least some portion of the character's configuration. Any extension of the Stroke Edge beyond the Maximum Character Outline Limit, or intrusion of the Stroke Edge within the Minimum Character Outline Limit, should not exceed 0.02 mm (0.008 in).

The exception to this last paragraph is that the intrusion of the Stroke Edge should not exceed 0.03 mm (0.012 in) for characters of the 7-B Font.
Line and Character Skew Even properly formed characters may be a source of difficulty if they are incorrectly positioned in relation to the True Read Line. Both Line and Character Skew are discussed in the following paragraphs. Line Skew A line of characters not parallel to the Read Line is skewed. The Skew Angle is defined as the angle formed by the intersection of a line drawn along the Normal Base Line of the characters and the Scan Line; this angle is represented in Figure 5.9. A skewed line is acceptable if all characters in the line remain within the Read Band and do not violate the allowable Character Skew Limit. The allowable degree of skew varies inversely with the length of the line and the size of the font being read; the longer the lines, and/or the larger the font, the smaller the allowable degree of skew.

1.4 MAX

LINE SKEW ANGLE

NORMAL BASE LINE

READ LINE (PARALLEL TO BOTTOM REF

Figure 5.9: Line Skew

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Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

Character Skew A skewed character is one whose Vertical Center-line is not perpendicular to the Reference Edge of the document. The Skew Angle is the angle formed by the skewed center-line and a line perpendicular to the document Reference Edge, as shown to an exaggerated degree in Figure 5.10.

LINE PERPENDICULAR TO DOCUMENT REFERENCE EDGE

VERTICAL CENTERLINE SKEW ANG 1.5 MAXIMU

DOCUMENT REFERENCE EDGE

Figure 5.10: Character Skew

Two-Line OCR
When the OCR Two-Line Read option is installed, it is possible to read two data lines in one pass. This is made possible by the presence of two OCR Read stations; the second OCR Read station electronics are totally independent of the first OCR Read station. The font and character sets to be read for each Read Line are independent of one another and are limited only by the font options installed. Each read line, however, must be vertically displaced from the other so that the Clear Band for each line is not violated by any printing in the second Read Line.

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Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

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Printing Device Considerations

Some basic information about imprinters and non-impact printers is discussed in this Section.

Imprinter Characteristics
Most Imprinters used in applications involving plastic embossed cards are limited in the document (formset) sizes they can accommodate. The equivalent of tabulating-card sizes are most frequently used in imprinting applications; these include: 51 - column 80 - column 82.6 mm (3.25 in) by 123.8 mm (4.875 in) 82.6 mm (3.25 in) by 187.3 mm (7.375 in)

Variable amount Imprinters normally print up to seven digits. The Variable Amount field is positioned and imprinted on the same horizontal center-line as the account or customer number imprinted from an em bossed plastic card. The OCR Read area usually consists of a single Data Line.

Imprinters are available that can accommodate multiple embossed plastic cards and which may, therefore, imprint two OCR Data Lines.
Plastic cards used in OCR applications are usually embossed in the 7-B Font. When a pending imprinting application appears to involve a change in the formset thickness, the user should make early contact with his Imprinter vendor. Adjustments on the Imprinter roller may be necessary to ensure compatibility and consistent print quality. Normally, Imprinters are pre-set before shipment to accommodate a formset of average thickness.

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Printing Device Considerations

Non-impact Printing
Some MICR documents now are printed with non-impact printing systems. If all ANSI specifications are met, these should work acceptably. However, some precautions are suggested. The documents should be inspected both magnetically and visually to ensure all requirements are met. For those documents where the whole document is printed with magnetic toner, there is a greater possibility that the check design may be in error due to non-MICR magnetic printing slipping into the MICR Clear Band. Electronically printed signatures, Company Logos, and design borders that pass into the 0.625" MICR Clear Band will likely result in rejects. Another consideration is that some non-impact printed documents shed toner particles when run. These particles cause added rejects on all documents as they migrate from document to transport and back to other documents. Extra preventive maintenance/cleaning may be required. Careful evaluation of proposed documents for printing performance is suggested. When OCR documents are printed with non-impact printing systems, character shapes and stroke widths must meet ANSI specifications, including extraneous ink requirements. If magnetic toner is used, the MICR Clear Band requirements must be met.

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Media Evaluations Aids

7

The tools described in this Section are especially useful in the design of documents and in the diagnosis of media problems. Document and forms designers, programmers, and analysts should have access to these items.

Comparator
A Comparator is a small, portable magnifying device equipped with a graphic arts Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) or OCR reticle. A Comparator can enable a precise determination of Horizontal Character Spacing, Character Skew, Stroke Widths, and to some extent, print quality or the presence of excess amounts of dirt and wood pulp; Valleys, Voids, Peaks and Smudges are more readily seen and evaluated with a Comparator. This tool is available at nominal cost through most local optical supply houses.

Paper Gauge Micrometer

A Paper Gauge Micrometer is used to measure the caliper (thickness) of paper. Low cost Micrometers, accurate to within 0.025 mm (0.001 in) are readily obtainable at local supply outlets. Some correlations can be made between paper thickness and approximate weight as shown in Table 7.1. Table 7.1: Caliper to Weight Correlations Caliper 0.10 mm (0.004 in) 0.13 mm (0.005 in) 0.15 mm (0.006 in) 0.18 mm (0.007 in) 0.18 mm (0.007 in) Substance Weight 20 - 24 pounds (75 - 87 g/m2) 24 - 28 pounds (89 - 105 g/m2 28 - 32 pounds (105 - 120 g/m2) 32 - 36 pounds (120 - 134 g/m2) 43 pounds (161 g/m2) Tab Card

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Media Evaluations Aids

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Index
Numerics
7-B 5-2

A
Acceptable Inks 5-8 Average Edge 5-11

B
Basis Weight 2-5

C
Calculations for Print Contrast 5-7 Character Pitch 5-10 Character Skew 5-15 Character Spacing 5-9 Clear Band 3-2, 4-2, 5-5 CMC-7 Font 4-1 CMC-7 Magnetic Ink Character Recognition 4-1 Comparator 7-1 Conversion from Basis to Substance Weight 2-6 Conversion from Pounds to Metric 2-6

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Index

D
Document Dimensions 2-1

E
E-13B Font 3-1 E-13B Magnetic Ink Character Recognition 3-1 Edge Irregularities 5-13

F
Font Options 5-2 Formats 3-3

I
Imprinter Characteristics 6-1

L
Line and Character Skew 5-14 Line Skew 5-14

M
Major Print Faults 5-12 Margins 3-2, 4-2, 5-4 Mechanical Properties 2-2 Media Evaluations Aids 7-1

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Index

N
Non-impact Printing 6-2 Non-Read Colors 5-7

O
OCR Paper Optical Specifications 5-3 OCR-A 5-2 OCR-B 5-2 Optical Character Recognition (OCR) 5-1 Other Considerations 2-4 Overview 1-1

P
Paper 3-1, 4-1, 4-2 Paper Gauge Micrometer 7-1 Paper Weight 2-5 Print Band 3-2, 4-2 Print Contrast Signal (PCS) 5-6 Print Specifications 3-2, 3-3, 4-3, 5-6 Printed Character Dimensions 5-11 Printing Device Considerations 6-1

R
Range Y Tolerances 5-12 Related Documentation 1-2

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Index

S
Smudges and Extraneous Marks 5-13 Stroke Center-line 5-11 Stroke Width 5-12 Substance Weight 2-5 Substance Weight Determination 2-5 System Requirements 2-1

T
Two-Line OCR 5-15

V
Voids 5-13

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