MagTek InSpec 9000-2005 - Manual (Page 6)

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Product Information
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that out-
f-spec cards from the Tester should be confirmed periodically by an independent laboratory.
ry test
3-
d
hese
and
at. Ultimately, judgment is required, and a policy decision should be in place for the operator.
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vestigation and confirmation of the absolute values for the added
ulse and waveform conditions.
or accurate card reading, normal preventive maintenance is the guideline. Consult the following:
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alibration (Section 3, Calibration and Verification)
For corrective maintenance, consult Section 5, Troubleshooting and Appendix D, Error Messages.
The InSpec 9000-2005 Encoded Card Tester is a real-time, continuous feedback, production line card
tester. Because the parameters that appear on the screen are color coded, and warning screens advise
when a card “MAY NOT BE READABLE IN THE FIELD,” the tester is relatively easy to operate. Th
Tester is intended to be a reliable instrument of in-line testing that does not require a technician or an
engineer to operate; nor does it require extensive technical knowledge of magnetics to operate and to
interpret the parameters on the screen. The InSpec 9000-2005 Tester is designed to complement the
more expensive, highly complex, precision, laboratory test equipment. MagTek recommends
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Because the InSpec 9000-2005 is a cost-effective tradeoff compared with a precision laborato
unit, some policy judgment is required to interpret ISO limits and the machine tolerances or
“measurement uncertainty.” ISO limits and measurement uncertainties are listed in Section 3, Figure
11, and examples are shown in Section 4, Figures 4-2 and 4-3. Measurement uncertainty for average
amplitude, average bit size, and start sentinel are concerns of management for acceptance or rejection of
cards. If these parameters are centered on the screen between minimum and maximum limits (centere
in the green), the card will be acceptable even if the measurement uncertainty is worst case. If t
parameters are near maximum or minimum limits when worst case measurement uncertainty is
projected, the following precautions should be considered: the Tester should be checked; the sample
may need to be expanded; or the cards may need to be physically checked to ensure they are clean
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The screen may also warn of two other parameters that concern noise detection: Added Pulse Detection
and Wave Form Distortion. Tests of these parameters are critical in HiCo material testing. Exceedin
the ISO limit by even a small percentage may affect read reliability. Since these two parameters are
characteristic of the magnetic stripe and not encoding, issuers who have prequalified their stripes at a
testing laboratory will rarely see this warning. If the warning appears frequently, sample cards should
be sent to a testing laboratory for in
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Card size and thickness (Section 1, Specification
Card and Tester Cleaning (Section 2, Cleaning)
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