Is there a good MICR solution

[motoslide]

Does anybody know of an HP printer with a seperate MICR cartridge? We do a bit of check printing from a custom application and it seems overly expensive to print the entire check (and stubs) with the spendy MICR toner. I would think HP might have a dual-cartridge Deskjet series where the MICR cartridge is selectable as if a different color.

Any ideas out there?

 

[jlasman]

AFAIK there are NO "ink" cartridges with the magnetic properties required for MICR.


Jim Asman

 

[motoslide]

That's a pitty. There must be some physics issue with that print technology where ink with magnetic properties would be troublesome.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[diogenes10]

Buy your forms with just the preprinted micr line and put in the rest with a regular toner cartridge and your program.

 

[DTracy]

diogenes10,

The other way around I think is the way we do it. Buy preprinted checks and then use the MICR to just print the mag line at the bottom. That's what we do and the MICR cartridge lasts a long time.

Regards,
David.

 

[motoslide]

David:
So you run the checks through twice? Once to print the MICR, and again to print the rest (stub, name, address, etc)?
One of the headaches we want to avoid with doing something like that is managing the check number. If you can print everything in a single pass, then the check number at the bottom (in MICR ink) will always be the same as that printed in the upper-right.

It doesn't sound like there is a printer capable of using two cartridges (one standard black ink, and the other MICR).

Obviously what we want to accomplish is to lower long-term costs to our Clients by allowing them to use inexpensive forms and only use the MICR ink where it is required. All this without adding the time and labor involved with multi-pass printing.

 

[DTracy]

No, the preprinted check has the company info/logo etc. on it and they are placed in the tray. The program picks up the check, prints the payee name, date, amount, and check number, and ejects. Next check. The amount of mag ink required for this is far less than what is needed for the whole check. This process is done every day in our WIC office and that MICR cartridge lasts a lonnnggg time. At $400 bucks a whack it has to!

David.

 

[motoslide]

OK. Thanks.
I was concerned that the cartridge would still be used up too quickly, but it sounds like you get quite a bit of volume doing it that way. We'll just have to recommend that the Clients keep a dedicated printer just for checks (or remember to swap cartridges as needed). I see lots of places that sell MICR cartridges, maybe the price will come down eventually.

 

[jlasman]

Here in Canada, by Jan 2007, the check number will have to be part of the MICR data. It is optional now, but will be mandatory by the end of next year. There is a mandatory date format and location as well as a specific placement of the amount field(s).

Right now I preprint the MICR data without check number, and assign the number at runtime, still with no MICR check number. It looks like I will have to assign the check number when the MICR is printed. Not as convenient, but I guess I'll have to live with it.

I use a LJ4 for checks, and as I recall, the MICR cartridge was about the same price as a regular one. I bought it from a cartridge refiller who happens to be across the street from the office. It may be worth shopping around.

The changes to the check specification are to do with the banks scanning them(OCR I guess) into digital format. Whether any of this will come to the US, I don't know.

Jim Asman