ST9510
Secure MICR Printer
User’s Guide
Source Technologies
2910 Whitehall Park Drive
Charlotte, NC 28273
800-922-8501
2006, Source Technologies
All rights reserved.
Written and produced by Source Technologies
March 2006
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Table of Contents
1. Printer Installation....................................................................5
2. MICR Overview.........................................................................6
The Check Processing System.............................................6
MICR Printing Today.............................................................6
3. MICR Check Design .................................................................8
General Features of Check Design.......................................8
Position and Dimension Gauge.............................................8
Design Elements in Detail.....................................................8
Data Elements .....................................................................9
Figure 3.1 Sample Check .....................................................12
4. Quality Issues...........................................................................13
Printer Features ....................................................................13
MICR Toner ..........................................................................13
MICR Check Stock................................................................13
5. Security Issues.........................................................................15
Check Stock Security Features.............................................15
Security Note ........................................................................15
6. MICR Features..........................................................................18
Secure MICR .......................................................................18
MICR Fonts...........................................................................18
Secure Fonts.........................................................................18
MicroPrint..............................................................................18
Resource Storage.................................................................19
MICR Toner Cartridge...........................................................19
7. MICR Commands .....................................................................20
Fonts and Secured Resources..............................................20
PJL Unlock Sequence...........................................................20
PJL Re-Lock Sequence ........................................................20
PJL Re-Lock Sequence with New Password Value..............21
PCL Font Call Commands ....................................................22
PJL Info MICR Command .....................................................22
Error Messages.....................................................................24
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8. MICR Commands Examples....................................................26
PJL Unlock Sequence...........................................................26
PCL Initial Setup ...................................................................26
PCL Macro Call.....................................................................26
PCL Font Calls, Position Commands, & Variable .................26
PJL Re-lock Sequence .........................................................27
Figure 8.1 Sample Accounts Payable Check........................27
PJL & PCL Commands.........................................................28
Appendix
Appendix A: E-13B MICR Font Mapping..........................................29
Appendix B: Secure Numeric Font Mapping....................................30
Appendix C: ICR Secure Numeric Font Mapping.............................32
Appendix D: CMC7 MICR Font Mapping .........................................33
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1. Printer Installation
For complete information on how to unpack and setup your printer, see your printer’s
user’s guide. Please read the following if you are going to install the printer driver
shipped with your printer.
1. Locate the CD that was shipped with your printer.
Note: If you do not have a CD-ROM drive on the host PC, locate another
computer with a CD-ROM drive, start the CD-ROM utility, and then follow the
instructions on the screen to create printer driver diskettes.
2. Follow the instructions in the CD booklet to start the printer setup utility
appropriate for your operating system, i.e. Windows 95, NT, etc. The setup
utility will install printer driver and utilities to manage Source Technologies
printer(s) attached to your PC or Network.
3. The Source Technologies printer, in most cases, assumes the printer driver is
set to the internal DEFAULT values. The following Default values should not
be changed for best overall printer performance and data stream
requirements of the ST Secure MICR printer.
•
•
Print Resolution under the Graphic Tab should be set to the Default
value of 600 DPI.
Print Quality and Picture Grade under the Graphic Tab should be set
to the Default values of Use Printer Default.
A majority of other driver options can be set for your particular requirements. The most
obvious of these would be a Paper Tray selection if your application uses the Print Driver
Setting.
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2. MICR Overview
MICR stands for Magnetic Ink Character Recognition. All MICR documents have a MICR
line with numbers and symbols printed in a MICR font with magnetically chargeable toner.
Each character of the MICR font has a unique waveform when sensed magnetically.
Financial institutions and the Federal Reserve use the MICR line to identify and sort
checks. The high-speed automated processing of checks and other financial documents
depends on the accuracy and the integrity of the data printed in the MICR line. Your new
Source Technologies Secure MICR Printer is specifically designed to produce high quality
MICR documents.
The Check Processing System
As a MICR document travels through the check clearing system it is processed an
average of almost seven times by high speed reader/sorter machines. Some checks are
read up to 30 times or more by these machines. Reader/sorter machines charge the toner
in the MICR line and then read the line with a magnetically sensitive reader.
The MICR line contains numbers and symbols to indicate the check serial number, the
routing number of the drawee institution and the makers’ account number. The institution
of first deposit encodes the check amount in the MICR line to be read by the reader/sorter
equipment. Checks travel through reader/sorters at up to 20 miles-per-hour (2,400
documents per minute) with each MICR line read in three hundredths of a second.
MICR Printing Today
Congress established the Federal Reserve System (FRS) in 1913. Today most
commercial banks in the United States belong to the FRS. Many other depository
institutions provide banking and checking account services to the public. These other
institutions, such as some credit unions, savings and loan associations and non-member
banks, are not formally part of the FRS. However, they have access to the payment
services it provides and are subject to many of the FRS regulations.
In 1958, because of the explosive growth of check usage, the American Bankers
Association selected the E-13B MICR font and the MICR system as the technology for
high-speed check processing. Today, check standards are determined by the American
National Standards Institute (ANSI) Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) X9B of which
Source Technologies is a voting member. The latest versions of the standards and
technical guidelines are available from:
Hardcopy:
Softcopy:
Global Engineering Documents
Phone 800-854-7179 or 303-397-7956
Fax 303-397-2740
X9 Electronic Bookstore
or
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The key standards that address check documents are as follows:
ANSI X9.7 Specifications for Bank Check Background and Convenience Amount Field
ANSI X9.13 Specifications for Placement and Location of MICR Printing
ANSI X9.18 Paper Specifications for Checks
ANSI X9.27 Print and Test Specifications for Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR)
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3. MICR Check Design
General Features of Check Design
To be a legal and negotiable document, the necessary elements required on a check are
the date, amount, payee, drawee institution, and payer’s signature.
Other elements included in a good check design are: the amount in words, account title,
check serial number, fractional routing number and MICR line.
A good check design contains security features and is formatted to be easily read by both
machines and the human eye. If the format is complicated, the depositor, bank employee
or reader/sorter machine may make an error in reading the data.
Position and Dimension Gauge
A MICR position and dimension gauge (Source Technologies’ part number 205-1000MGE
or 220-M1027-34) is an important tool for use in designing checks. During check design,
check your output against this gauge to determine if the data elements are correctly
positioned on your document.
Design Elements in Detail
Paper
The ideal paper for check production is 24 lb. laser bond. Our MICR lab has tested
paper stock from most major manufacturers and has compiled a list of products
that produce superior results. Contact your sales representative for this
information. For a fee, Source Technologies will test your paper for proper MICR
adherence and check reader/sorter performance. There are also many security
features available to aid in the overall security of your MICR documents. See
Chapter 5: Security Issues for more information on check stock specifications and
security features.
Size
The size of check documents must be:
•
•
Between 6.00 inches and 8.75 inches in length
Between 2.75 inches and 3.66 inches in height
We recommend standard 8.5" X 11" letter size stock or 8.5" X 14" legal size stock
for proper feeding through your ST Secure MICR Printer. The number of checks
per page is determined by your application. Custom size stock other than letter or
legal can be done with proper planning and application programming within the
paper size specifications for the base printer.
MICR Clear Band
The MICR clear band is an area at the bottom of the check where the MICR line
prints. No other magnetic printing should appear in this area on both the front and
back of the document. The clear band is an area 0.625 (5/8) inches high from the
bottom of the check running the entire length of the check. Exact MICR line
placement in this area is very important. See Figure 3.1: page 12 for more
information on MICR line placement.
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Data Elements
Date
The date is a required data element for a check. It represents the day on or after
the transfer of the check amount may take place. It is usually placed in the upper
right portion of the check so it does not interfere with the convenience amount field.
The common format is Month, Day and Year, however, the military format of Day,
Month and Year is also acceptable.
Amount
The amount of the check is a required element for negotiation. The amount usually
appears at least twice on the check. The amount printed in numbers is called the
convenience amount. The amount printed in words is sometimes referred to as the
legal amount, this is the amount that applies if there is a difference between the
two amount fields. The amount may also be printed a third time on the check in a
secure font, intended to make alteration of the amount field difficult. See Chapter 6
and Appendix B for information on Source Technologies’ Secure Numeric Font.
Convenience Amount
The convenience amount location is specified in ANSI X9.7. The basic location is
illustrated in Figure 3.1. Since this amount can be machine scanned, its location
and design should be kept within the specifications. The amount beginning with
the dollar sign should be left justified within the scan area with numbers spaced
normally to the right. The dollars and cents should be separated by a decimal
point with the cents printed in the same size font as the rest of the field. Embedded
commas should not be used. The convenience amount background should have
good reflectance so it does not interfere with optical scanning (see ANSI X9.7).
The convenience amount should be printed in a simple, fixed pitch font. We
recommend our ICR Secure Numeric Font (see Appendix C). It was designed to
be easily read by image capture equipment and is also a fraud deterrent. A fixed
pitch courier font, or if available, OCR-B, are also acceptable fonts to print the
convenience amount.
Note: The Source Technologies’ Secure Numeric Font (see Appendix B) should
not be used in the convenience amount since it is not a machine readable font.
Amount In Words
The amount in words (sometimes called the legal amount) is normally located
either above or below and to the left of the convenience amount. The area for the
amount in words should be entirely filled to make alterations difficult. The amount
should start at the far left of the line with the words placed immediately adjacent to
each other. The cents need not be written out. They may be expressed as a
fraction (60/100), and should be placed immediately to the right of the dollar
amount and followed by a line or other space filler to inhibit alteration.
Example: One hundred forty-four and 62/100---------------DOLLARS
Given the available area on the document, you may need to use a smaller font
when printing larger value amounts.
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Payee Area
The payee is a necessary element for a negotiable document. The payee area is
generally to the left side of the document either above or below the amount in
words. It is often preceded by the words “Pay to the Order Of.” The payee data
should not enter the MICR clear band which extends 5/8 of an inch above the
bottom of the check.
Signature Area
A signature is a required element for a negotiable document. The signature or
signatures authorize the bank to honor the check; therefore, it must match the
bank’s records. The signature area should be beneath the convenience amount
area but the signatures should not enter the convenience amount area nor the
MICR clear band. This is especially true if you print the signature with MICR toner.
Drawee Institution Name
The name of the institution where the maker’s account is located is referred to as
the drawee institution. The bank’s name, city, and state are required.
Account Title
The account title is normally printed in the upper left corner of the check. It
includes the name of the account holder and other information such as addresses,
telephone numbers, and logos. The data in the title should be legible and
sufficiently complete so that if the MICR data account number is destroyed, the
drawee institution can refer to the account title in order to trace the account
number.
Memo Line
This line is located in the lower left quadrant of the check, and is not required.
Data printed here does not contain any legal significance. Printing in this area with
magnetic toner should not extend downward into the MICR clear band which is 5/8
of an inch above the bottom of the check.
Check Serial Number
The check serial number is generally printed in the upper right quadrant of the
check. Although the check number is not required for the check to be negotiable,
the account holder and financial institution use these numbers to reconcile
statements and stop payments. The check serial number should also appear a
second time in the MICR line, and these numbers should match. The number of
digits in the check serial number is controlled by the financial institution and the
MICR line format. Consult your banking institution for their requirements.
Fractional Routing Number
The fractional routing number should be printed in a fractional format in the upper
right quadrant of the check. This number is assigned to identify the Federal
Reserve District and drawee institution. Consult with your bank for the proper
routing number and format for each of your accounts.
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MICR Line
Accurate high-speed processing of your checks by financial institutions is enabled
by the accuracy and integrity of the data in the MICR line. Refer to figure 3.1 for
the location of the following MICR line fields. The MICR line is read from right to
left with position one being the right most position proceeding to position sixty-five
on the left. The MICR line must be printed at exactly eight characters per inch.
Auxiliary On-Us Field
Positions 65 to 45
This field usually contains the check serial number for commercial size checks
and possibly account control information. It is bounded by On-Us symbols. (;). It
is not included on personal, small size checks.
External Processing Code (EPC) Field Position 44
This one digit field is position 44 of the MICR line. This field is usually left blank.
The use of this field is reserved by the ABA and is controlled by the ASC X9B
Standards Committee.
Routing Field
Positions 43 to 33
The routing field is bounded by Transit Symbols (:) in positions 43 and 33. It
contains fixed format information about the drawee institution. Consult with your
bank for the specific data field to be placed here for each of your accounts.
On-Us Field
Positions 32 to 14
The On-Us field contains the makers’ account number. The structure and
content of this field is left to the drawee bank. On personal checks this field also
contains the check serial numbers. The On-Us field may not consist of more
than 19 characters. An On-Us (;) symbol must appear immediately to the right
of the account number.
Blank Field
Position 13
Position 13 is always left blank.
Amount Field
Positions 1 to 12
The amount field is the right most field in the MICR line. It remains blank until it
is printed by the bank of first deposit. When the check enters the banking
system, the bank of first deposit encodes this field from data in the convenience
amount field. It will be bounded by Amount Symbols (/).
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Figure 3.1: Sample Check
A. Serial Number: Must be in the upper right corner and match the serial number in the
MICR line (see D for further explanation).
B. Fractional Routing Transit Number: Should be in the upper right corner and must
match the routing transit number in the MICR line with the exception of the state prefix
number (ex. 66 = NC, 67 = SC, 64 = GA, etc.) and the preceding zeros.
C. Bank Name, State, City: The bank logo is optional. Name of bank, city and state
where the account will be assigned/opened is a required field.
D. Aux On Us (46-55): This is a required field if the customer desires services offered by
the bank which require a serial number. The serial number format is controlled by the
payor’s bank. A & D should match.
E. Routing Number (34-42): Designates the Federal Reserve district and financial
institution. Each city, state or region that the bank serves has a unique institution
identifier. IMPORTANT: positions 35-42 is the Routing Number, position 34 is the
check digit.
F. Account Number: This is a unique number assigned to the customer’s account.
G. Optional Serial Number: Used for personal accounts (checks only). A 4 digit zero
filled field that should match the serial number in the upper right corner.
H. Convenience Amount Area should be in the general location shown above in the
diagram. The illustrated box in the diagram is optional and if used, should conform to
ANS X9.7. A single stroke dollar sign is required.
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4. Quality Issues
A high quality MICR document can be read by bank reader/sorter equipment many times
with no readability issues and does not result in damage to bank equipment. This quality
is the result of a well designed printer, an originally manufactured MICR toner cartridge
and high quality check stock.
Printer Features
Your Secure MICR Printer is equipped with some features to ensure high quality MICR
documents.
Paper Type
Paper type settings, if selected through a driver, are set in the printer. However,
the print engine keeps the printer optimized for MICR printing. Density is internally
controlled for MICR printing and cannot be changed through the printer driver.
MICR Toner Low
When MICR toner is low, the printer stops and the user is prompted to load a new
MICR toner cartridge. We recommend shaking the cartridge to prolong its life.
Once low toner is sensed, there is enough toner to print an additional 500 quality
MICR documents, assuming an approximate 5% average page coverage.
MICR Toner Empty
When the cartridge is determined to be too low to continue, the printer stops. A
new cartridge needs to be installed to continue printing.
MICR Toner
Use only Source Technologies MICR toner when printing MICR documents. It is
specifically engineered to print quality MICR documents with your printer. The printers’
MICR toner sensor is designed to work with the Source Technologies MICR toner
cartridge to prevent printing checks with regular toner present. You may choose to use this
printer for general office printing, which is acceptable. If a regular toner cartridge is
installed, the printer will stop and prompt the operator to install a MICR toner cartridge.
Source Technologies does not recommend the use of refilled MICR toner cartridges.
Although refilled cartridges are generally less expensive, they may result in expensive
printer repairs and bank check reject fees due to inferior MICR toner formulation.
MICR Check Stock
Check stock has a large impact on the resulting quality and security of your MICR
document. Here are a few features that should be considered when selecting a check
stock. Please see Chapter 5: Security Issues for more information on check stock security
features.
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Quality
Quality MICR check printing with your ST Secure MICR Printer requires check
stock that matches the printer’s requirements. Source Technologies can supply
paper specifically made for our printers. If you wish to order check stock from
other suppliers, please show the following requirements to your sales
representative. We will test other suppliers’ paper for a nominal fee.
Layout
Layout your check design before any paper is purchased or layout your design to
existing check stock. Keep in mind, perforations, orientation, special logos and any
color elements. The printer can print just about anything as long as it is black.
Weight
We recommend 24 lb. - 29 lb. paper.
Stiffness
We recommend taber M.D. 2.5 and C.D. 1.1 minimum.
Smoothness
For best toner fusing, we recommend rougher surfaces within the base printers’
specifications, and the Paper Specifications for Checks, X9.18. We recommend a
smoothness range of 150 to 200, Sheffield.
Paper Grain Direction
When using 24 lb. - 29 lb. bond paper we generally support either long or short
paper grain. Overall performance in the banks reader/sorters is best when the
resultant grain direction is left to right when viewing the check.
Perforations
All perforations in the stock should be Micro-Perfs (20 or more cuts per inch).
Larger perforations can produce excessive paper chaff and result in damage to the
toner cartridge. Perforations should be ironed by the paper supplier to reduce
nesting and potential double feeding.
Moisture
The paper moisture content should be between 4.7 and 5.5%. Storage conditions
have much to do with the final moisture content of most papers. Store your check
stock in a cool, dry, environmentally stable and secure area. Protective wrappings
should be removed just prior to use.
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5. Security Issues
Printing negotiable documents from blank paper on desktop MICR laser printers makes
security a top priority for any company embarking on a desktop check printing project.
Good security programs integrate hardware, software, your employees and your financial
institution into a secure check production system. Recent changes relative to the
responsibilities of banks and their customers have a bearing on the ultimate liability for
fraudulent documents. Customers must have systems designed and documented to show
“Ordinary Care and Good Faith Effort” is in place to avoid liability. In the past, financial
institutions generally credited corporations when fraud was discovered. New regulations
attempt to define who may have been negligent in the transaction and put the liability on
that party or parties. Clearly, if a fraudulent occurrence can be traced to a corporation’s
lack of security procedures, or the design of their negotiable documents, the regulations
will protect the banks, or at best case the loss will be shared.
Check Stock Security Features
We have found the following check stock security features to be of merit:
Artificial Watermarks - White on white printing generally on the back reveals
words or patterns when held at an angle. You should state on the front of the
check that this feature is present. True watermarks are valuable but more costly.
Laid Lines - Background lines that make cut and paste alteration difficult. These
are normally on the back of the check.
Fuse Enhancing Additive - Coatings or additives to the paper that improve the
bonding of toner to the paper. This helps prevent altering of critical data such as
the amount, or payee name.
Chemical Additives - If an ink eradicator (bleach, acetone, etc.) is applied to the
document, the eradicator creates a permanent stain.
Numbered Check Stock - Sequential numbering printed in dye that penetrates to
the reverse side of the check can be used to verify authenticity. This also provides
for inventory control of blank check stock. This number should not be linked or be
equal to the check serial number due to the potential of double feeding in laser
printers.
NOTE: These features serve as a general guide for check security. You should not
consider these features as an all inclusive list. We recommend consulting with your paper
supplier for any additional comments or suggestions.
Security Note
Check fraud in the United States is a continuing problem. We have attempted to identify
security features that can be incorporated into the base check stock. However, these may
not prove 100% fraud preventative. Over time, technology will continue to develop new
and improved measures to address check fraud.
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The following internal and external security measures will help minimize your risk of check
fraud.
1. Financial institutions should train tellers to look at the check, not the person
presenting the check. The check, not the person, is the item that must be verified.
2. Firms accepting checks should be aware of damaged MICR lines. Intentionally
damaging the MICR line can increase the time necessary to process an item,
giving the forger enough time to leave town. Also be sensitive to discoloration, this
could be an indication of alteration.
3. Incorporate security features into your base check stock and utilize printed security
features that address both alteration and counterfeiting of original items. A short
list of these features would be:
•
Warning Bands, or other methods that alert recipients to visual security
features
•
•
Artificial or genuine watermarks in the base paper
Chemical additives in the base paper that react to chemical alteration
attempts
•
•
Void Pantographs that address attempts to copy original items
Unique security fonts that deter attempts to alter payee or amount
information
4. When generating final negotiable items,
•
•
The document always includes the amount value in words
The document should not include information that limits the value range, i.e.
“Not valid over $500.” This only guides the fraudulent attempt. Use your
application software to detect out of range items
•
All levels of hardware and software password protection should be utilized
5. Safeguard check stock paper, and limit access only to necessary employees.
6. Understand and approve the security procedures of your check stock suppliers to
safeguard stock in their custody.
7. Use “Positive Pay” check services from your financial institution that match check
number and dollar amounts to known information. Financial institutions should
encourage full participation of corporate clients.
8. Move methods of fraud detection to the item’s point of entry into the clearing
system. For example, low cost readers can detect low magnetic strength in the
MICR line which is a good indication of attempts to copy an original.
9. Always verify the home address and place of employment of new account
applicants. Use public sources such as phone books to verify phone numbers.
Ask new account applicants why they are opening an account with your institution.
Be suspect of unusual answers or delays in responding.
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10. Stay abreast of current check fraud methods and the latest in fraud detection.
Offer seminars to educate corporate clients.
11. Review and document your internal negotiable document printing procedures.
Investigate employee backgrounds before assigning security authority. Split
responsibilities, for example, an accounts payable production/security officer
should not also balance the account.
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6. MICR Features
Source Technologies’ Secure MICR Printer is designed to allow both general office
document printing and secure MICR document printing. You may print a variety of
conventional jobs with MICR toner using all of the printer features available. These
printers come standard with PCL5e, PCL6, and PostScript Level 2 emulation. Source
Technologies has designed features to enhance the base printer for MICR specific printing
that allows you to securely print high quality negotiable documents.
Secure MICR
Your ST Secure MICR Printer has resident fonts for printing MICR documents password
secured in printer Flash memory. Accessing these resources requires specific PJL
commands to unlock and relock these font resources. While unlocked they can be
assessed with standard PCL5e commands. This is discussed in more detail in Section 7:
MICR Commands. In addition to the secured font resources, the printer has been
internally modified to ensure high quality printing with MICR toner. Specific print densities,
transfer voltages, and fusing temperatures are factory pre-set. The ST Secure MICR
printer only supports Source Technologies MICR Toner cartridges.
MICR Fonts
The E-13B MICR font, designed specifically for the printer, is resident in Flash memory in
your printer. Examples of the font characters are in the Appendix A of this manual. The
font can only be activated after the appropriate PJL commands with the correct
“PASSWORD” have been sent to the printer. The alternative MICR Font, CMC7, used in
certain countries is also resident in Flash memory.
Secure Fonts
Two Source Technologies designed numeric secure fonts: Secure Numeric and ICR
Secure Numeric, are resident and password protected in Flash memory in your printer.
Examples of these fonts are in the Appendix B of this manual. Like the MICR font, these
fonts can only be accessed after sending PJL commands with the correct “PASSWORD”
from your application software.
The ICR Secure Numeric Font is designed for use in the Convenience Amount area of a
check. This area contains the numeric dollar value and is located on the right side of the
check approximately 2 inches up from the bottom edge. The imaging recognition features
available in today’s check reader/sorter equipment can optically read it. The Secure
Numeric Font should not be used in this area of the check. It is a reverse image font and
cannot be read automatically by the equipment.
We recommend you consider the use of both fonts as they are designed to deter check
fraud.
MicroPrint
Your Secure MICR Printer also contains the MicroPrint font. MicroPrint is text less than
.010” tall. It can easily be read with a magnifying glass but appears to be a solid line to an
unaided
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eye. This font provides protection against reproduction by most scanners and copiers
because they cannot successfully print the tiny letters.
Most check printers use this font in the signature area of their preprinted checks. We
recommend using this font to help deter check fraud. The text in this font can either be
fixed, such as the name of your organization, or it can be variable, such as the check
amount and payee name. The use of variable text provides an additional method of
protection against check counterfeiters.
Use of the “MP” designate symbol to identify the line as MicroPrint is optional. The
MicroPrint font only contains alphanumeric characters. Punctuation marks and spaces are
ignored by this font and do not print.
Resource Storage
The Flash memory in the printer contains the five Source Technologies secured fonts, but
the Flash memory can be loaded with additional resources for check or non-check printing.
The Flash can be loaded with signature fonts, overlay Macros, or other custom resources
up to the space available. Flash memory in the ST-9116 is read/write password protected.
To load additional resources to Flash requires you to first issue the PJL commands to
unlock the Flash memory device. We will review this in more detail in Section 7: MICR
Commands.
Storing resources (fonts, Macros, etc.) in RAM is also an option. Resources in RAM are
deleted when the printer is powered off. Resources in RAM cannot be password protected
in the printer.
MICR Toner Cartridge
The ST Secure MICR printer only supports a Source Technologies MICR Toner Cartridge.
The printer will display an error condition when a standard cartridge is installed. When a
MICR Toner Cartridge is installed the following occurs:
1. Control image density or print density is set to optimum levels for MICR
printing. Downloaded density commands and toner saver mode commands
are ignored by the printer.
When the PJL “MICRJOB” command is sent, the following occurs:
1. The printer forces internal copies to 1. Downloaded copy commands are
ignored.
2. Automatic reprint of jammed documents is disabled, forcing the application to
reprint any jammed documents. This provides an audit trail to the application
of the jam event.
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7. MICR Commands
The following are the key PJL and PCL commands required to access MICR resources in
the printer. For the complete source of information on PJL and PCL languages, consult the
Lexmark Technical Reference documentation.
PJL MICRJOB
Each MICR printing job should include in the initial string of PJL commands, the MICRJOB
command. The command forces copy count = 1, and Jam Recovery = off. The format is
@PJL MICRJOB(0D)(0A)
Fonts and Secured Resources
The ST Secure MICR printer has four fonts password protected in FLASH memory. The
printer requires PJL commands with the correct password value to unlock the font
resources, followed by PCL to print the fonts. They are then re-locked by PJL commands or
by a printer power cycle.
The PJL commands to unlock the fonts must precede all PCL commands. The re-lock PJL
commands must follow the PCL commands and final form feed command. The PCL
commands could print an unlimited number of pages between the unlock and re-lock
sequences. We will use <ESC> in the following examples to indicate the Escape character,
ASCII 27. Values shown in parentheses () are hexadecimal.
PJL Unlock Sequence
<ESC>%-12345X@PJL LDECLARE LRESOURCE:”flash:” LRWLOCK=”PASSWORD”
0D)(0A)@PJL ENTER LANGUAGE=PCL(0A)
The sequence contains a UEL (Universal Exit Language) command followed by the unlock
and enter language commands. The commands are case sensitive. PASSWORD is the
initial ship default password value. The command delimiter is a Line Feed (hex 0A) with
Carriage Return (hex 0D) being optional. Spaces are required as shown. The ENTER
LANGUAGE command is optional but recommended. The command should also end with a
LF (hex 0A). At this time all secured resources including any resources that are customer
unique in FLASH are unlocked and available to PCL.
The password value is limited to no more than 8 alphanumeric case sensitive characters.
PJL Re-Lock Sequence
<ESC>%-12345X@PJL LDELETEPASSWORD LRESOURCE:flash:”(0D)(0A)
<ESC>%-12345X
Sent after PCL, this sequence re-locks the resources with no change in the password value.
The PJL syntax of LDELETEPASSWORD is not the password. The command sequence
terminates with the UEL command (Universal Exit Language). This is optional but
recommended.
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PJL Re-Lock Sequence With A New Password Value
<ESC>%-12345X@PJL DEFAULT LRESOURCE:”flash:” LRWLOCK=”xxxxxxxx”
(0D)(0A)<ESC>%-12345X
This command requires the resources to be previously unlocked. The new password is
represented by the value xxxxxxxx. The UEL is again optional but recommended.
After consulting Lexmark Technical Reference materials you may wish to expand the PJL
sequences to include more than the examples above. To chain multiple PJL commands
follow the following format:
(UEL)(PJL COMMAND)(0A)(PJL COMMAND)(0A)(PJL COMMAND)(0A)(UEL or
ENTER LANGUAGE)
The normal printer action to any format problems or missing or extra symbols is to ignore the
PJL command. This does make troubleshooting format errors difficult. Have patience!
Note: Density and EconoMode PJL commands are ignored by the ST9510.
PCL Font Call Commands
After PJL has unlocked the MICR FLASH resources, the ST9510 uses standard PCL5e
commands to print. The five resident Source Technologies MICR font resources are all
bitmapped fonts and therefore cannot be scaled larger or smaller than the bitmapped
images. These fonts can be called by either a PCL Font Selection String or by their ID.
The commands are:
E13B MICR FONT
<ESC>(10O<ESC>(s0p8h8v0s7b360T
<ESC>(30802X
The Selection String
The ID Call
SECURE NUMERIC
<ESC>(16C<ESC>(s0p5h36.24v0s112T
<ESC>(30043X
The Selection String
The ID Call
ICR SECURE
<ESC>(1O<ESC>(s1p12v0s0b110T
<ESC>(30066X
The Selection String
The ID Call
CMC7 MICR FONT
<ESC>14Y<ESC>(s0p8h8v0s0b361T
<ESC>(30803X
The Selection String
The ID Call
MICR FONT NOTE – The E-13B and CMC7 Fonts are 8 characters per inch. To position
correctly at an exact 8 characters per inch, the printer must be set to an internal Unit of
Measure of 600 DPI or greater or must have a horizontal motion index command at 8 CPI
be issued after the font call. This is true even if the base printer is at 600 DPI. The default
character positioning is at 300 DPI and 8 into 300 is 37.5 pixels. The printer will either round
down to 37 or up to 38 pixels causing characters to creep. To resolve this there are multiple
options.
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1. If you are using a printer driver that is set to 600 DPI, the printer data stream should
include a Unit of Measure PCL command set to 600. The command is
<ESC>&u600D
2. If the application controls the printer data stream, add the Unit of Measure command
early in the data stream. The command also affects X & Y positioning commands.
Add <ESC>&u600D
3. After calling the E-13B MICR font, issue a HMI (Horizontal Motion Index) command
set to 8 characters per inch. The command must be included with every E-13B
MICR font call using either the Selection String or ID call. The command string is:
<ESC>(10O<ESC>(s0p8h8v0s7b360T<ESC>&k15H font data
<ESC>(30802X<ESC>&k15H font data
The Selection String
The ID Call
See Font Mapping Appendix pages for specific character set data for each font.
PJL INFO MICR COMMAND
The ST Secure MICR Printer supports an optional custom bi-directional PJL Inquiry
Command. The command provides printer information and cartridge information for network
management. The command format is; @PJL INFO MICR
The command should be sent with UEL (Universal Exit Language) commands. Example:
<ESC>%-12345X
@PJL INFO MICR
<ESC>%-12345X
UEL
INFO MICR Command
UEL
The following data is returned
@PJL INFO MICR
PRINTER STATE = READY
= BUSY
= NOT READY
SERIAL NUMBER = XXXXXXXX
PAGECOUNT = 123456
CARTRIDGE TYPE = NORMAL
= MICR
CARTRIDGE STATUS = UNKNOWN
= OK
= LOW
= EMPTY
CARTRIDGE SERIAL# = XXXXXXXX
TONER LEVEL
= 0-9
= UNKNOWN
CARTRIDGE COUNT = XXXX
LOW THRESHOLD = XXXX
EMPTY THRESHOLD = XXXX
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•
Printer State
“Ready” is the expected return
•
•
•
Serial Number = Printer Serial Number
Page Count = Printer Page Count
Cartridge Type
“MICR” is the expected return. “Normal” could mean the command was sent to a
non-MICR printer
•
Cartridge Status
“OK, Low, and Empty” are the expected returns. “Unknown” is possible if the
cartridge had just been installed.
•
•
Cartridge Serial = Cartridge Serial Number
Toner Level
A single digit return giving a rough estimate of toner remaining
9 = Full, 0 = Empty
•
•
•
Cartridge Count = xxxx
Data indicating toner usage by counting pixels printed
Low Threshold = xxxx
The Toner Low point based on cartridge count value
Empty Threshold = xxxx
A cartridge count value that determines when printing must stop to ensure quality
MICR documents
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Error Messages
A majority of the printer error conditions are documented in the User’s manual for the
printer. The following are additional error conditions related to the ST Secure MICR printer.
Toner Low
The printer will stop with Error and Press Button lights on at the first indication of toner being
low. Press the button and the printer will return to Ready and continue printing. The Toner
Low light will be on steady. While in the toner low state, the printer will stop again on power
cycles and other situations such as jams or paper out conditions. Simply press the button to
continue printing. The low toner condition will continue until the cartridge is replaced or
Toner Out is reached.
Toner Out
After approximately 500 pages beyond the first Toner Low condition the printer will stop
printing and display a Toner Out condition. Both the Toner Low light and the Error light will
blink. All other lights will be off. You must replace the cartridge to continue printing.
Ready / Data
Toner Low
Load Paper
Off
On
Off
Paper Jam
Error
Off
Blinking
Off
Blue Button
The 250 pages are based on a printing coverage percentage of 5% per page average. If
actual printing uses less toner, the stop will occur after 250 pages. If the actual printing uses
more toner the stop will occur short of 250 pages. Actual toner usage determines TONER
OUT.
Load MICR Toner
The ST Secure only supports MICR toner cartridges in its normal configuration. This
prevents the printing of MICR documents with standard toner. If configured to support both
MICR and standard cartridges, the PJL MICRJOB command checks the cartridge type and
will prompt the operator with the following pattern to load MICR toner if not present.
Ready / Data
Low Toner
Load Paper
Off
Blinking
Off
Paper Jam
Error
Off
On
Blue Button
Blinking
Unsupported Print Cartridge
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Ready / Data
Toner Low
Load Paper
Off
On
Off
Paper Jam
Error
Off
On
Off
Blue Button
The following light pattern indicates the cartridge is not supported in this specific printer.
Replace with a supported cartridge type.
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8. MICR Command Example
Figure 8.1, is an illustration of an Accounts Payable check and remittance information. The
page used a PCL MACRO for the static data and background design. This manual does not
address MACRO design and programming, but the variable text information including all the
PJL and PCL commands used to print the example are on the page following the sample
check. For illustrative purposes there are some extra spaces in the text preceding the
printable data. The following paragraphs describe the command functions. The commands
are a minimal set chosen to produce the example. Please consult Lexmark Technical
publications for the complete descriptions of PJL and PCL printer commands
PJL Unlock Sequence
The first two lines of the variable text example are PJL commands that unlock the MICR font
resources and enter PCL language processing. The password used is PASSWORD, the
initial ship default. These commands and all following commands are all case sensitive.
<ESC> is used to illustrate the ASCII Escape Character, ASCII 27, hex 1B. An actual data
stream requires the Escape Character, not <ESC>.
PCL Initial Set-Up
The next two commands set up some printer PCL variables. These commands are normally
early in the data stream. We chose a minimal set. <ESC>&l2a1h6d1e64F sets the paper
size to LETTER, the input tray to TRAY 1, the lines per inch to 6, the top margin to 1, and
the lines per page to 64. The next command, <ESC>&u600D, is the Unit of Measure
command set to 600 dots per inch mentioned in Section 7. This affects proper MICR line
spacing and X and Y cursor positioning.
PCL MACRO Call
The next command calls MACRO 100 that was previously loaded in RAM memory. When
called the graphic background, logos, and static data is written to the internal print buffer.
PCL Font Calls, Positioning Commands and Variable Print Data
The next eleven lines of data in the example call printer resident fonts, position the cursor,
and print the variable information. We are again using the minimal data required,
particularly the font selection strings, <ESC>(s4099t0b10H being a very short version to call
Courier, Normal Weight, 10 Pitch.
<ESC>*p300x600Y is a PCL positioning command. In this case its values are 600 pixels
down and 300 pixels to the right of the upper left corner of the page. The Unit of Measure
command determines the exact distance.
The next 4 lines call our secured MICR font resources. We are using the ID for the font call.
The Form Feed prints the page.
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PJL Re-Lock Sequence
The last two lines re-lock the secured fonts. The password is not changed in this example.
FIGURE 8.1 SAMPLE ACCOUNTS PAYABLE CHECK
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PJL and PCL commands used to print the sample check:
<ESC>%-12345X@PJL LDECLARE LRESOURCE:"flash:" LRWLOCK="PASSWORD"
@PJL MICRJOB
@PJL ENTER LANGUAGE = PCL
<ESC>&l2a1h6d1e64F
<ESC>&u600D
<ESC>&f100y3X
<ESC>(s4099t0b10H
<ESC>*p300x600Y xxxxxxxxx xx/xx/xxxx
<ESC>*p300x2775Y xxxxxxxxx xx/xx/xxxx
<ESC>*p3250x75Y<ESC>(s4099t3b8H 123456
<ESC>*p3250x2200Y 123456
$x,xxx.xx
3%
3%
$x,xxx.xx
$x,xxx.xx
$x,xxx.xx
<ESC>*p4250x4450Y 123456
<ESC>*p3650x4775Y xx/xx/xxxx
<ESC>*p400x5225Y<ESC>(s4099t0b15H xxxxx Thousand xxxxx Hundred xxxxx Dollars
and xx/100 Cents
<ESC>*p600x5600Y<ESC>(s10H ABC TOOL & DIE
<ESC>*p600x5700Y 123 Main Street
<ESC>*p600x5800Y Yourcity, ST 12345-6789
<ESC>*p900x6325Y<ESC>(30802X<ESC>&k15H O123456O T123456780T
12345D67890O
<ESC>*p1500x5100Y<ESC>(30043X ($**1,234.56)
<ESC>*p3650x5400Y<ESC>(30066X $**1,234.56
<0C> Form Feed
<ESC>%-12345X@PJL LDELETEPASSWORD LRESOURCE:"flash:"
<ESC>%-12345X
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Appendix A: E13B MICR Font Mapping
MICR Font Description
Character
Alpha/Numeric Hex Values
1
Values
/
Amount Symbol
Transit Symbol
On-Us Symbol
Dash Symbol
Zero
A a /
41 61 2F
:
T t B b :
54 74 42 62 3A
;
O o C c ;
4F 6F 43 63 3B
=
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
V v D d - =
56 76 44 64 2D 3D
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
9
Nine
Example:
‘”;0001234;:01234567:3210987654321;
1
Select only one alphanumeric character to call the font.
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Appendix B: Secure Numeric Font Mapping
Description
Dollar Sign
Left Bracket
Right Bracket
Asterisk
Alpha/Numeric
Character
Hex Value
Secure Font Character
$
(
)
*
,
23
28
29
2A
2C
2D
2E
Comma
Dash
-
.
Period
Slash
/
2F
Zero
One
0
1
30
31
Two
2
32
33
Three
3
4
Four
34
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Appendix B continued: Secure Numeric Font Mapping
Description Alpha/Numeric
Character
Hex Value
Secure Font Character
Five
Six
5
6
7
8
9
>
35
36
37
38
39
3E
Seven
Eight
Nine
Arrow
Example:
NOTE: The secure fonts in the example are magnified for purposes of clarity.
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Appendix C: ICR Secure Numeric Font Mapping
Description
Alpha/Numeric
Character
Hex Value
Character
Zero
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
7
8
37
38
Nine
9
*
,
39
2A
2C
2E
23
Asterisk
Comma
Period
.
Dollar Sign
$
NOTE: The secure fonts in the example are magnified for purposes of clarity.
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Appendix D: CMC7 MICR Font Mapping
Description
Alpha/Numeric
Characters
Hex Values
CMC7 Font
1
Values
Zero
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
30
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
31
32
33
34
35
36
Seven
Eight
37
38
8
Nine
9
:
39
3A
Colon
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Semi-Colon
Less Than
;
3B
3C
<
Equal
=
3D
3E
Greater Than >
1
The CMC7 Font in the example above is magnified for purposes of clarity.
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