ISO 1004-1977 rus PDF

Full title and description

ISO 1004:1977 — Information processing — Magnetic ink character recognition — Print specifications. This 1977 International Standard defines the shapes, dimensions and tolerances for the standard magnetic-ink characters (ten digits and four special symbols, commonly known as the E13B/MICR set), together with printing-defect considerations and signal-level measurement guidance for magnetic-ink character recognition systems.

Abstract

The standard specifies the print geometry, spacing, alignment and allowable printing tolerances for MICR (magnetic ink character recognition) characters used for automated document handling (originally developed for banking). It describes acceptable defects, measurement methods and examples for implementation of the E13B style magnetic-ink font. The edition published in 1977 was later withdrawn and replaced by subsequent editions.

General information

• Status: Withdrawn / superseded.
• Publication date: April 1977 (published 1977-04-01 in ISO records).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 35.040.10 (coding of character sets / information processing).
• Edition / version: Edition 2 (1977). A corrigendum from 1977 also exists (ISO 1004:1977/Cor 1).
• Number of pages: 48 pages.

Scope

Specifies the shapes, nominal dimensions and tolerances for the ten numeric characters and four special symbols printed in magnetic ink for machine recognition, and gives guidance on printing quality, defect types and signal measurement. Although developed for banking cheque processing, the specification applies to other automated document-handling systems using magnetic-ink character recognition. The 1977 edition was later withdrawn and incorporated into later ISO 1004 releases.

Key topics and requirements

• Character design: exact shapes and reference centre lines for E13B/MICR characters.
• Dimensions and tolerances: nominal heights, widths, bar widths, corner radii and average-edge tolerances for printed characters.
• Character spacing and alignment: rules for fixed-field and variable-field placement to ensure reliable read rates.
• Printing defects and allowable limits: classification of common defects and maximum permitted deviations.
• Signal level measurement: basic guidance for measuring magnetic signal levels from printed characters.

Typical use and users

Used historically by banks, cheque printers, equipment manufacturers (MICR readers/encoders), and organizations performing high-volume document processing. Today it is of interest to archivists, standards researchers, legacy-systems engineers and manufacturers maintaining or interoperating with older MICR/E13B equipment.

Related standards

ISO 1004:1977 was superseded by later editions, notably ISO 1004:1995 (which itself was subsequently revised and replaced by ISO 1004-1:2013 and related parts). Related work includes standards and specifications for character coding and OCR/MICR interoperability (for example E13B and national implementations).

Keywords

MICR, E13B, magnetic ink character recognition, MICR font, character dimensions, banking cheque processing, print tolerances, ISO 1004.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 1004:1977 is an International Standard that defined print specifications for magnetic-ink character recognition (MICR) characters — the E13B numeric and special-symbol set used for machine reading.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers the exact character shapes, dimensions, spacing, tolerances, common print defects and basic signal-measurement guidance needed to produce readable MICR printing for automated systems.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Historically: banks, cheque printers and MICR equipment manufacturers. Presently: preservation specialists, engineers supporting legacy MICR systems and anyone verifying or reproducing MICR/E13B print forms.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The 1977 edition is withdrawn. It was replaced by later editions (ISO 1004:1995 and subsequent ISO 1004 series revisions, including ISO 1004-1:2013). National bodies and standards sellers list the 1977 edition as withdrawn (withdrawal noted in ISO records and by standards resellers).

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — ISO 1004 has later parts and revisions; after the 1995 edition the work was reorganized into parts (for example ISO 1004-1:2013) addressing related print- and measurement-specifications.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: MICR, E13B, magnetic ink, character set, cheque processing, print tolerances, ISO 1004.

Note on language and PDF availability: ISO’s catalogue entry is for an English-language publication; translations or Russian-language copies may be available from national standards bodies or third‑party resellers. Russian-language or localized PDFs offered by commercial resellers exist, but availability and licensing vary — official ISO translations are handled through national bodies, while some commercial vendors list a Russian PDF for sale. If you need a Russian-language PDF, verify the translation source and licensing before purchase.