User guide

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Chapter 6: Magnetic Stripe
Magnetic stripe is an option available in most printers. Two
options are available: Single-track and three track.
This section includes:
• “About Magnetic Stripe Encoding”
• “About the Data Format”
• “About Coercivity”
• “Magnetic Stripe Module”
• “Magnetic Stripe Encoding”
• “Magnetic Stripe Defaults”
• “Magnetic Stripe Settings Used by the Printer”
• “Magnetic Stripe Formats”
About Magnetic Stripe Encoding
Encoding arranges the particles in
the magnetic material to represent
data. The International Standards
Organization (ISO) specifies
characteristics of the stripe, the
location of data, and other details.
(The standard is included in ISO/
IEC 7811. The Japanese Industrial
Standard 6302 Type I matches the
ISO/IEC 7811 standard.)
The illustration shows several of the features that the standard specifies for three-
track cards. (Three-track means there are three lines of data on the stripe.)
Encoding occurs when a current is introduced, which aligns the magnetic
particles on the stripe. The current is measured in milliAmps (mA), and
corresponds to the strength of the alignment, called coercivity. Cards can be read
by a magnetic stripe reader after they are encoded. The printer both encodes data
and then reads it to verify that it was encoded correctly.