Check Paper
With the large amount of people writing bank checks nowadays, banks needed a better way streamline their handling. In order to automate the process, a standard electronic handling and reading system was established. This system is what we now call Magnetic Ink Character Recognition, or MICR. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) states that MICR is the accepted machine language specification for use in payment transactions on paper bank checks. In a special HP MICR printing process, a magnetic ink called MICR toner is applied to each check so they can be quickly read by the high speed magnetic equipment designed to perform the readings. This printing follows an agreed pattern that, besides authenticating the check, provides the bank with the necessary information like the account number, check number, bank routing number and even the amount requested.Printed with either an E-13B or CMC-7 font, these characters are required to be arranged in a certain pattern of numbers and symbols. To deter tampering there are often pre-determined prefixes and suffixes attached to each line that serve as codes for the reading and sorting machines. Other safeguards in the printing process include exact positioning of the printed lines in relation to the Clear Band Area of the check paper.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.