MICR=Magnetic Ink Character Recognition. The MICR Toner that is used in this process makes use of both special printer inks and characters. This type of toner is very popular to banks as they use MICR to print special characters on their client’s personal and business checks .

Why is MICR toner important?

The MICR toner is transferred to a certain document. When this document is processed through a special machine, the toner becomes magnetized. From there the magnetic information will be translated to characters.

All printer brands with this type of toner – like HP MICR toner – are essential in order to make check processing faster. They enable machines to read data from MICR lines. These MICR lines usually appear on the bottom portion of the check. In short, these special toners are contributory to the existence of an automated check processing.

How does MICR toner work?

This can actually be described through the different processes that take place in reader-sorter machines.

The MICR toner contains magnetic components that are made of iron oxide additives. These additives are eager partners to the toner in that it allows reader-sorters to read these checks.

Once the check goes through the sorter or the reader machine, it will be read through the aid of a magnetic read head. The read head creates contact with the MICR line thus creating a flux pattern which is an electromagnetic field.

The flux pattern on the other hand is responsible for producing current that runs through the magnetic read head. The current will then read the special characters produced by the MICR toner. Character recognition depends upon two factors: flux pattern’s strength; and the MICR line’s passage timing as it goes through the read head.

The process of reading MICR lines is called the waveform theory. This is called as such because when magnetized characters emit signals as printed with the use of an MICR toner, waves are created on the MICR line. These waves have positive and negative peaks that should have a equal depth or height.

Different brands have their own special type of MICR toner. There is a special MICR toner for HP which is distinct from what Canon MICR printers want. To get a discount on your next MICR Toner Cartridge visit us at Laser Cartridge Plus