Magnetic Stripe Glossary
AAMVA:
American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators
ABA:
American Bankers Association
ABA Track:
Used to refer to the ANSI/ISO Track #2 encoded at 75 BPI density
in BCD format
AC Erasure:
See Erasure
Acicular:
Needle shaped, i.e., a particle whose length is three or more
times its width
ACK:
Positive acknowledgment, an ASCII control character verifying
receipt of signal without error
Adjacent Reversal Effect:
The characteristic of an encoded magnetic stripe, due to inadequate
separation of the flux reversals, in which the read voltage
does not stabilize at a zero value between reversal peaks
AFNOR:
Association Française de Normalisation, France's National
Standards Organization
Air Gap:
A nonmagnetic section, whether air or material, in an otherwise
closed magnetic circuit
AIM:
Automatic Identification Manufacturers
Alignment:
While the magnetic stripe slurry on the substrate is still wet,
it is subjected to a magnetic field which aligns the magnetic
particles with their axes parallel to the direction of encoding
ALPHA:
Alphanumeric; generally refers to the ANSI/ISO ALPHA Data Format,
which is a 7-bit 64- character set
Ampere Turn/meter (A/m) :
The S.I. unit of coercivity. 1 oersted = 79.557 A/m
Analog Decoding:
A generic decoding technique using a measured parameter (such
as the voltage of a charging capacitor), determined by the immediately
preceding bit-cell, as valid for the current bit-cell in order
to determine whether it represents a 0-bit or a 1-bit
ANSI:
American National Standards Institute. ANSI has adopted ISO
Standards 7810, 7811, 7812, and 7813 as National Standards for
ID cards (see ISO)
APACS:
Association for Payment Clearing Services, U.K.'s National Standards
Organization for transaction cards (replacing BSI - British
Standards Institute)
APTA:
American Public Transit Association
ASCII:
American Standard Code for Information Interchange, the most
widely used set of binary numbers for data and control communications;
consists of 128 7-bit characters, of which 96 are alphanumeric,
symbol, and punctuation characters and 32 are control characters;
an eighth parity bit is usually added for error checking. The
64 6-bit character subset containing the capital alphabet, numerals
and certain punctuation characters is widely used for data only
communications
Aspect Ratio:
The ratio of length to width of a magnetic particle (pigment)
ATB:
Automatic Ticketing & Boarding, a tab size paper ticket
containing a magnetic stripe, used by airlines
ATM:
Automatic Teller Machine
Azimuth Error:
A decode error resulting from misalignment of the read head
gap with the encoded flux reversals on a magnetic stripe
B:
Magnetic flux density or induction; the cgs unit is gauss
Br :
Residual induction
Bs :
Saturation induction
BCD:
Binary coded decimal; generally refers to the ANSI/ISO BCD Data
Format, which is a 5-bit 16 character set
Balanced Head:
A head with dual coil windings configured to cancel external
magnetic fields (i.e., those not coming through the gap)
Ball Mill:
A rotating chamber containing small spheres used to uniformly
disperse the magnetic pigment in the slurry
Barium Ferrite:
A magnetic pigment, BaFe, commonly used in high coercivity magnetic
stripes.(700-4000 oersteds)
Baud Rate:
The number of transmission elements per second in a communications
line; the element may contain a single data bit, in which case
baud rate equals bits/sec., or the element may contain two or
more bits, as in the case of high speed modems
BH Meter:
A device for measuring the intrinsic hysteresis loop of a sample
of magnetic material. Usually the sample is magnetized in a
60 hz field supplied by a solenoid and the intrinsic flux is
detected by integrating the emf produced in an opposing pair
of search coils, one of which surrounds the sample. The hysteresis
loop may be displayed on an oscilloscope by feeding the X and
Y plates with voltages proportional to the magnetizing coil
current and the integrated search coil emf respectively
Binary:
Having only two possible values, i.e., zero or one
Binder:
A resin, such as polyurethane, in the magnetic slurry, which
when dry in the magnetic stripe locks the magnetic particles
with their axes aligned
Biphase:
The binary encoding technique used in magnetic stripe, wherein
a bit-cell represents a logic One if it has a flux reversal
at its midpoint and represents a logic zero if it does not;
also known as Aiken Biphase, and two-frequency coherent-phase
encoding
Bit:
A binary digit, having the value of either 0 or 1
Bit-Copying:
See Skimming
Bit Cell:
The distance on a magnetic stripe required for the encoding
of a binary digit, i.e., a bit; numerically equal to the reciprocal
of the encoding density
Bit Density:
The number of bit cells encoded per unit length along the magnetic
stripe, usually expressed as bits-per-inch, or BPI
Bit & Strobe:
An encoder encode input or reader decode output interface using
a binary-state (0,1) data line with an associated clocking pulse
line (strobe) to indicate when sampling of the data line is
valid; a Bit & Strobe interface is independent of the encoding
format and protocol being used
Black Iron Oxide:
Ferrosoferric oxide (Fe3O4 ) magnetic iron oxide
Bleed:
Graphics printed up to one or more edges of the card
Blocking:
(a) The process of sticking together of tickets during storage.
This process is sometimes accompanied by the transfer of magnetic
or other print materials from one card to the next;
(b) the process of magnetic stripe tape sticking together in
roll form
BPI:
Bits per inch; see Bit Density
BSI:
British Standards Institute
Buffered Data:
Decoded data from a magnetic stripe read held in temporary memory
until needed
Bulk Degausser:
See Bulk Eraser
Bulk Eraser:
Equipment for erasing a roll of tape. The roll is usually rotated
while a 60 cycle AC erasing field is decreased either by withdrawing
the roll from an electromagnet or reducing the AC supply to
an electromagnet. This equipment will generally erase coercivities
less than 1000 oersted
Butterfly Pouch:
An unlaminated ID badge with a hinge running along one edge
into which the prepared ID card is inserted and laminated
Byte:
An ordered set of 8 bits
Calender:
To press so as to produce a smooth surface finish and increase
particle packing density; may reduce thickness
Card:
Commonly used generic term for magnetic stripe media regardless
of shape, construction, and material; e.g., magnetic stripe
cards, badges, tickets, forms
Carrier:
(a) A thick paper folder with a hard, glossy inner surface into
which an ID badge is inserted for processing through a laminator;
(b) a heavy stock paper folder that holds a magnetic stripe
card for mailing to the cardholder
Cassette Head:
A read/encode head specifically designed for usewith analog
cassette tape recording, sometimes used in card readers
CAT:
Credit Authorization Terminal; See POS
CBEMA:
Computer and Business Equipment Manufacturers Association
CEN:
Comité Européen de Normalisation (European Committee
for Standardisation)
CENELEC:
Comité Européen de Normalisation de Electrotechnique
cgs:
A system of units in which the centimeter-gram-second are the
units for the fundamental quantities length-mass-time
Character:
The specific binary number (a pattern) and its associated letter,
number, symbol, or function in a set of data transmission codes,
e.g., the ASCII code
Check Digit:
Using an algorithm with one or more data sets to compute a digit,
which is used to verify validity of the data set. Under ANSI/ISO
specs, the final digit of the individual account number
Chromium Dioxide Tape:
A magnetic tape used in audio cassettes, with a coercivity around
600 oersteds
Clock:
See Bit & Strobe
Clocking Bits:
The all-Zero bit-cells encoded at the beginning and end of a
magnetic stripe to permit the read circuit to synchronize at
the beginning of a read
CMOS:
Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor Logic; logic zero =
<1.5 VDC, logic One = >3.5 VDC, and very low current source
Cobalt-Doped:
Cobalt modified iron oxide magnetic pigments with intermediate
coercivities (500-1600 oersteds)
Coating Thickness, c:
The thickness of the magnetic coating applied to the base film.
Magnetic stripe coatings range in thickness from 170 to 650
microinches with a preponderance of coatings being approximately
400 microinches thick. In general, thin coatings give good resolution
at the expense of reduced output; thick coatings give a high
output at the expense of degraded resolution
Coercive Force:
The demagnetizing force required to reduce the induction to
zero. Erroneously used as the maximum demagnetizing force required
to erase a magnetic stripe, i.e. that for a fully saturated
material
Coercivity (Hc ) :
A term for various demagnetizing fields measured in oersteds
or ampere-turns per meter. The intrinsic coercivity mHc is the
demagnetizing field required for zero induction on a B-H plot,
i.e., the coercive force. The Remanent coercivity rHc is the
demagnetizing field required to produce zero remanence after
its removal. All three of the above coercivities are similar
in magnitude
Cold Peeling:
A method of applying the magnetic stripe to a card; the magnetic
material is peeled from the tape without heat and then laminated
to the card
Compensation:
The ability of a reader decode circuit to correct for jitter
in order to yield a valid decoded bit- string during reading
a magnetic stripe
Conversion (Converters) :
A general class of manufacturers who convert plastic and paper
stock for a variety of end uses, including those who manufacture
cards, badges, tickets and forms containing a magnetic stripe
Core:
(a) The central material layer, usually PVC, of a laminated
magnetic stripe card on which the graphics are printed before
overlay lamination;
(b) The high- permeability low-coercivity ring running from
the gap through the coil of a read or encode head
Credit Card Size:
An ID badge or card measuring 2.125" wide by 3.375"
long by 0.030" thick; sometimes used for cards whose thickness
is different from 0.030"
CSA:
Canadian Standards Association
Cupping:
Curvature of a stripe in the lateral direction
Curl:
The deviation of a card from flat. Can be defined as three types;
lengthwise curl, widthwise curl and diagonal curl
Data (IBM) Size:
An ID badge or card measuring 2.328" wide by 3.250"
long
DC Erasure:
See Erasure
Debit Card:
(a) A card with value encoded on the magnetic stripe, which
is re-encoded with a lower value at each use;
(b) A magnetic stripe card used with a PIN number to authorize
electronic debit of funds from an account
Decibel, db:
A dimensionless unit for expressing the ratio of two powers
or, more usually, voltages or currents, on a logarithmic scale.
If A and B represent two voltages or currents, the ratio A/B
corresponds to 20 log10 (A/B) decibels. 1 db represents a difference
of approximately 11% between A and B. Other values are:
Ratio:
1
1.4
2
4
10
100
1000
db:
0
3
6
12
20
40
60
Decode:
The process which yields a bit-string of Zeros and Ones from
the flux reversal patterns on a magnetic stripe during reading
Degaussing:
The process of demagnetizing a magnetic material such that its
remanent magnetism is zero
Demagnetization Curve:
The second quadrant portion of the saturated condition hysteresis
loop of a permanent-magnet material (frequently called the B/H
curve)
Demagnetizing Force:
A magnetic field opposite in polarity to that of a previously
magnetized material in such a way that it reduces the remanent
induction
Density:
See Bit Density
Die Cutter:
A punch & die device used to cut a photo or ID material
to exact size for insertion into a laminating pouch
Differential Interface:
An input/output circuit which uses two transmission lines for
each circuit, swinging opposite in polarity for a data bit
Digital Card Head:
A read/encode head specifically designed for digital biphase
recording on a flat magnetic stripe
Digital Recording:
A method of recording in which the information is first coded
in a digital form. Most commonly, a binary code is used and
recording takes place in terms of two discrete values of residual
flux
Digital Decoding:
A proprietary decoding technique using a digital computer with
clock/counter to predict the current encoded bit-cell based
on prior multiple bit- cell history, and to digitally determine
whether the current bit-cell represents a 0-bit or a 1-bit
DIN:
Deutsches Institut für Normung, Germany's National Standards
Organization
Dispersion:
Distribution of the oxide particles within the binder. A good
dispersion can be defined as one in which equal numbers of particles
would be found in equal, vanishingly small volumes sampled from
different points within the coating. The quality of dispersion
affects many stripe properties, including orientability, surface
smoothness, and sharp waveform definition
Dispersion Effect:
The characteristic of an encoded magnetic stripe, due to the
action of the encode head fringe field on the stripe's dispersion
in particle coercivities, which produces a read voltage peak
waveform of lower amplitude and broader width
Domain, Magnetic:
The smallest element of a ferromagnetic material which acts
as a permanent bar magnet
Dropout:
An imperfection in the stripe leading to a variation in output.
The most common dropouts take the form of surface imperfections,
consisting of oxide agglomerates, imbedded foreign matter, or
redeposited wear products
Dual Gap Head:
See Spatial Decoding
Dual Stripe Card:
A card containing two separate magnetic stripes, e.g. at the
top and bottom or on the front and back of the card
Dynamic Range:
The characteristic of a reader defined by the total jitter compensated
as a function of read speed
Dyne:
The cgs unit of force
EBCDIC:
Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code, a 256 character
set of 8-bit binary numbers, consisting of alphanumeric, symbol,
and control characters, used in some data communications applications
EFTA:
Electronic Funds Transfer Association
EIA:
Electronic Industries Association
Electromagnet:
A device consisting of a current- carrying coil, usually with
an iron core, used to produce a magnetic field
Emboss:
To produce raised letters and numbers on a PVC card, e.g., the
account number and name on a credit card, by mechanical pressure
from the back side
Embossing:
Initialization of a plastic card by forming characters with
a male and female die combination such that the entire plastic
substrate is raised in the shape of visible characters. The
resulting raised characters can transfer their images to a paper
form by the use of an imprinter
emu:
Electromagnetic unit, a unit pole in the cgs-emu system of units.
The analogous magnetic quantity in the SI system of units has
the dimensions Ampere- Turnsxmeters2
Enable:
To turn ON; to be active
Encoder:
The electromechanical device, which contains a means for measuring
distance traveled along a magnetic stripe, used to produce flux
reversals at specified locations along the stripe
Encoding:
The process of creating flux reversals at specific locations
along the length of a magnetic stripe such that the flux reversal
pattern represents specific data
Encrypt:
Using an algorithm to transform data to conceal its meaning
or value
End Sentinel:
A defined bit-pattern in an encoding Format, which cannot be
used for a data character, and which is encoded on the magnetic
stripe immediately following the last data character bit-pattern
Erasure:
A process by which a signal recorded on a stripe is removed.
Erasure may be accomplished in two ways: in AC erasure, the
stripe is demagnetized by an alternating field which is reduced
in amplitude from an initially high value; in DC erasure the
stripe is saturated by applying a unidirectional field
Erasure Resistance:
The ability of a magnetic stripe to resist a signal loss of
>15% when brought into intimate contact with a magnetic field.
Resistance to a flux of 2000 gauss, for instance, would provide
reasonable expectancy of survival in a household environment.
See SFD, Coercivity
Erg:
The cgs unit of work, equal to one dyne- centimeter
Ferric Oxide:
See Gamma Ferric Oxide.
Ferromagnetic Material:
Any material that has a permeability substantially greater than
1 and that exhibits magnetic hysteresis properties. Strongly
attracted by a magnetic field
Field Separator:
A designated character in an encoding character set which is
used to separate data fields, and cannot be used for data
Flat Card Printing:
Initialization of a card by printing of characters on a substrate
surface without disturbing or displacing substrate material,
usually using thermal printing techniques
Flux Density (B) :
The number of lines of magnetic flux per unit area; the cgs
unit is gauss
Flux Reversal:
See Flux Transition.
Flux Transition:
A location (interface) on the magnetic stripe where the magnetic
particles on the two sides of the interface have like poles
facing each other, i.e., a South-South or a North-North interface,
resulting in a concentration of magnetic flux at the interface
Format:
The set of unique bit-string patterns of Zeros and Ones corresponding
to the set of data characters used in magnetic stripe encoding;
many different data formats are used, the best known being the
ANSI/ISO BCD and ALPHA formats
Format Code:
Under the ANSI/ISO Track #1 protocol there are two defined formats:
Code "A" has the name first, and Code "B"
has the account number first; for Track #3, the first two digits
identify the data format used
Formatting:
The process of applying a format algorithm to the data characters
to be encoded in order to produce the binary bit-string encoded
on the magnetic stripe
Forward Read:
Reading the magnetic stripe starting at the end containing the
Start Sentinel
Framing Characters:
The Start Sentinel, End Sentinel, and LRC Characters
ftpi:
Flux transitions (i.e., reversals) per inch
Full Duplex: :
Transmission with echo
Gamma Ferric Oxide:
A magnetic pigment (gFe203) commonly used in low coercivity
magnetic stripes (285-390 oersteds). The prefix "gamma"
(g) distinguishes the ferromagnetic form from the nonferromagnetic
crystal structure which is usually referred to as alpha (a)
Gap Depth:
The dimension of the gap measured in the direction perpendicular
to the surface of a head
Gap, Head:
The short section of non-magnetic material at the face of a
read or encode head which is in contact with the magnetic stripe
during reading or encoding; in practice, essentially the same
as an air gap
Gap Length:
The dimension of the gap of a head measured from one pole face
to the other. In longitudinal recording, the gap length can
be defined as the dimension of the gap in the direction of stripe
travel
Gap Width:
The dimension of the gap measured in the direction parallel
to the head surface and pole faces. The gap width of the encode
head governs the track width. The gap widths of read heads are
made appreciably less than those of the encode heads to minimize
tracking errors
Gauss:
The cgs unit of magnetic induction, = 1 maxwell/cm2
Gilbert:
The cgs unit of magnetomotive force
Gimbal:
The head mounting mechanism which permits the head to follow
contours on the magnetic stripe without losing contact
Gloss:
Specular reflection of light from a surface
Government/Military Size:
An ID badge or card measuring 2.625" wide by 3.875"
long
H:
Magnetizing force or field strength; the cgs unit is oersted
Hc:
Coercivity
Half-Duplex:
Transmission without echo.
Hard Magnetic Material:
Any material that exhibits ferromagnetic properties and that
has a substantial remanence after exposure to a magnetizing
force
Head Pressure:
The force per unit contact width with which the head is held
in contact with the magnetic stripe
Head, Encode:
A device consisting of a solenoidal coil wrapped around a ring
of magnetically conductive material which has a short section
of non-magnetic material called a gap; the magnetic field produced
at the gap is used to create flux reversals in a magnetic stripe
Head, Read:
A device similar to and acting in reciprocity to an encode head,
such that movement of the head gap across the concentrated magnetic
flux at a flux reversal induces a current in the head coil
Head-to-Stripe Contact:
The degree to which the surface of the magnetic coating approaches
the surface of the head during normal operation of a read or
write device. Good head-to-stripe contact minimizes separation
loss and is essential in obtaining high resolution
High Coercivity:
Different people have different conceptions as to where the
line is between "high" and "low" coercivity.
The term should not be used in isolation but should be accompanied
by a value in oersteds, or used in a context where the dividing
line is clearly understood
High Energy:
A term coined when co-doped 650 oe. audio tapes were introduced
as a cheaper alternative to chrome dioxide. The energy referred
to improve output at high frequencies. High energy, when used
in magnetic stripe parlance, does not imply more output. The
term is now misused as a synonym for high coercivity and its
use should be discouraged
Hot Stamping:
(a) A method of applying the magnetic stripe to a card; adhesive
is applied to the magnetic material on a tape, and the magnetic
material transferred from the tape to the card with a heated
roller;
(b) similar to (a), except used to transfer ink or foil to cards
for printed images
Hub:
The center cardboard or plastic part of a roll of tickets or
magnetic stripe tape
Human Factors:
Generally, a read malfunction caused by operator error rather
than media or equipment causes
Hysteresis:
The property of a material wherein its condition at any instant
depends upon its preceding condition; the failure of the magnetism
to retrace its path as the field H varies
Hysteresigraph:
A device used to plot the B-H hysteresis loop for a magnetic
stripe or magnetic tape
Hysteresis Loop:
A curve showing the cyclic relationship between magnetizing
force H and induction B in a magnetic material; also called
the B-H curve
I/O:
Input/Output; the communications circuit of a device
IATA:
International Air Transport Association
IATA Track:
Used to refer to the ANSI/ISO Track #1 encoded at 210 BPI density
in ALPHA format
ICMA:
International Card Manufacturers Association
ID Badge:
A magnetic stripe card used for identification, usually supplied
unlaminated; the user's photo, name and data are inserted between
the layers and then laminated into a solid card
IEC:
International Electromechanical Commission
Indent Print:
To embed letters and numbers on a PVC card by mechanical pressure,
without embossing the other side
Indent Printing:
Initialization of a plastic card by displacing the plastic substrate
material on one side with a male die, to form visible characters
without disturbing the substrate on the opposite side. Unlike
embossing, their images cannot be transferred to a paper form
by imprinters
Individual Signal Amplitude:
The peak-to-peak amplitude of a signal read voltage signal
Inductance:
The inductance of a coil or solenoid is the rate of increase
in magnetic flux linkage with increase of current in the coil,
where linkage is the product of the flux through the coil by
the number of turns; the cgs unit of inductance is the henry,
equal to 108 maxwell-turns per ampere of current
Induction, Magnetic (B) :
The flux density entering a magnetic material; the cgs unit
is gauss, equal to 1 maxwell/cm2
Induction, Residual (Br ) :
The induction remaining in a magnetic material when the magnetizing
force adequate to saturate the material is reduced to zero
Induction, Saturation (Bs ) :
The induction at the largest magnetization possible in a magnetic
material
Initialization:
(a) Encoding the timing track on a dual stripe card;
(b) Placing unique cardholder data on a card such as encoding
the magnetic stripe, embossing, or printing on a card before
issuing it to the cardholder;
(c) Same as (b) except it may be general data such as the initial
prepaid amount value on a debit card
Intensity of Magnetization:
The number of "unit poles" per unit of area
Iron Oxide:
See Gamma Ferric Oxide
ISO:
International Standards Organization
ISO 31/V:
ISO Standard Specification for Quantities, Units and Symbols,
Part 5. Electricity and Magnetism
ISO 7810:
Identification Cards - Physical Characteristics
ISO 7811-1:
Identification Cards - Recording Technique Part 1: Embossing
ISO 7811-2:
Identification Cards - Recording Technique Part 2: Magnetic
Stripe
ISO 7811-3:
Identification Cards - Recording Technique Part 3: Location
of Embossed Characters on ID-1 Cards
ISO 7811-4:
Identification Cards - Recording Technique Part 4: Location
of Read-Only Magnetic Tracks - Tracks 1 and 2
ISO 7811-5:
Identification Cards - Recording Technique Part 5: Location
of Read-Write Magnetic Track - Track 3
ISO 7811-6:
Identification Cards - Recording Technique Part 6: High Coercivity
Magnetic Stripe
ISO 7812:
Identification Cards - Numbering System and Registration Procedure
for Issuer Identifiers
ISO 7813:
Identification Cards - Financial Transaction Cards
ISO/IEC 10373:
Identification Cards - Test Methods
JIS:
Japanese Industrial Standard, published and translated into
English by Japan Standards Association
Jitter:
The flux reversal spacing variation on a magnetic stripe, whether
real or apparent; if the reversal is improperly placed on the
stripe, it is called encoded jitter; jitter resulting from speed
changes during the read is called acceleration jitter; jitter
resulting from read circuit changes with amplitude or frequency
is called phase jitter
Keepe:
A soft magnetic material temporarily added to a magnetic circuit
to form a closed circuit
Knee Ratio:
A value calculated directly from BH curve (VSM) used by some
media manufacturers to evaluate magnetic stripe performance
= Hc X Br divided by the area under the BH curve in the upper
left hand quadrant. Its maximum value of 1 represents ideal
performance
Lamination:
(a) A method of applying magnetic stripe tape to a card; adhesive
is applied to the film side of the tape, and the entire tape
with magnetic material is bonded to the card;
(b) A method of fabricating cards, built up of several layers
of material with thin sheets of adhesive in between and bonded
under heat and pressure;
(c) See Cold Peel
Laminator:
(a) A device with dual, heated, spring- loaded rollers through
which an ID badge is processed to laminate the layers into a
solid card;
(b) A flat platen press using controlled heat-pressure-cooling
cycles to laminate multiple layers into a solid sheet
Lateral Direction:
Across the width of the stripe
Leading Zeros:
Clocking bits before the Start Sentinel
Lead Screw:
A device consisting of a threaded shaft and moving carrier (for
head or card) such that the encode head moves equidistant intervals
along the stripe for each complete rotation of the shaft
Lecithin:
A fatty acid ester, found in egg yolk and soy beans, used as
a surfactant
Left Hand Reader:
(a) Swipe-Type: with the reader slot pointing away from you,
the magnetic stripe is to your left as you push the card through
the reader;
(b) Insert Type: with the reader slot horizontal and the magnetic
stripe facing up, the stripe is on your left as you push the
card into the reader. Most readers are left hand units. For
right hand reader, the stripe is located to your right in the
above definitions
Lepidocrocite:
An iron oxide mineral (Fe203.H20) used to make magnetic pigments
LGAI:
Laboratory General D'Assaigs Investigacions, Spain's National
Test Laboratory
Linkage:
The product of the flux through a coil by the number of turns
in the coil; the cgs unit is maxwell- turns
Line of Flux:
A term used to describe magnetic flux; 1 line of flux = 1 maxwell
Lithography:
A printing process using a metal plate on which the image area
is ink-receptive and the blank area is ink-repellent
Longitudinal Direction:
Along the length of the stripe
Low Coercivity:
Usually refers to 300 oersted magnetic stripe initially used
on ANSI/ISO Standard ID cards. However, usage of the term can
be misleading, see High Coercivity
Low Energy Stripe:
This term should not be used, see High Energy. If in doubt as
to what it means, question the user of the term
LRC Character:
Longitudinal Redundancy Check; an encoded bit-pattern following
the End Sentinel in some encoding protocols to check for bit
errors in the message, including the start/end sentinels, data,
and field separators
Lug Pouch:
An unlaminated ID badge with a laminated strip (lug) along the
hinge edge, into which a prepared ID card (or photo) is inserted
and laminated
Magnet: A piece of ferromagnetic material
having a North Pole and South Pole, with magnetic flux emanating
from the North Pole and terminating at the South Pole. The elemental
magnet is called a bar magnet
Magnet Circuit (closed) :
A path of magnetic material without an air gap. If a magnetic
conductor extends from one pole of a magnet, or solenoid, around
to the other pole, and for the solenoid runs clear through it,
the magnetic flux is largely concentrated in the conductor and
is greater in total amount than if the flux were entirely in
air; even a short air gap reduces the flux considerably
Magnetic Coating:
See Magnetic Stripe
Magnetic Conductor:
A soft ferromagnetic material, such as iron, which has high
permeability, low coercivity, and high saturation induction
Magnetic Field:
A region in which magnetic lines of flux or force occur
Magnetic Field Strength (H) :
The magnitude of the force in free space that would be exerted
on a unit magnetic pole; the cgs unit is oersted, equal to 1
maxwell/cm2
Magnetic Flux (F) :
The total quantity of lines of flux that exist in a given area;
the cgs unit is maxwell
Magnetic Line of Force:
An imaginary line representing the points in a magnetic field
that produce the same force on a unit magnetic pole; 1 line
of force = 1 maxwell
Magnetic Pole:
A region where lines of magnetic flux originate (North) or terminate
(South)
Magnetic Stripe:
A thin layer of material consisting of oriented ferromagnetic
oxide particles, also called pigments, rigidly held together
by a resin binder and bonded to a non-magnetic carrier medium
such as paper or plastic
Magnetism:
That physical phenomenon in which a force is exerted at a distance
on matter either from the movement of electrical charges in
a conductor or from the presence of magnetic poles in a permanent
magnet
Magnetite:
Lodestone; an iron oxide (Fe3O4 ) magnetic pigment with low
coercivity (400-450 oersteds)
Magnetization:
The excess induction in a ferromagnetic material over that for
free space; the cgs unit is gauss, equal to 4p poles/cm3
Magnetization Curve:
The portion of the first quadrant of a B-H hysteresis loop that
shows the relationship between magnetizing force and induction
for a magnetic material magnetized from an initially completely
demagnetized state
Magnetizing Force (H) :
Same as magnetic field strength
Magnetomotive Force:
The work required to move a unit pole around a closed magnetic
circuit; the magnetic force required to produce one maxwell
of flux in a material of unit reluctance; the cgs unit is gilbert,
equal to one erg per unit pole
Magneton:
A unit of magnetic value equal to 1126 ergs per gauss per gram-atom
Magnetostriction:
Change in dimension by certain materials when magnetized
Mark:
Telegraph parlance for a logic One
Maxwell:
The cgs unit of magnetic flux, the flux through a square centimeter
normal to a field of one oersted in a vacuum
Media:
The magnetic stripe together with its substrate carrier, e.g.,
card, badge, ticket, etc
Metal Pigment:
Surface treated pure metal magnetic pigments with intermediate
coercivities (1400 oersteds)
Microinch:
One millionth of an inch (.000001 inch)
Micron:
One millionth of a meter, equal to 40 microinches (.00004 inch)
Mil:
One thousandth of an inch (.001 inch)
mks:
A system of units in which the meter-kilogram- second are the
units for the fundamental quantities length-mass-time
Modem:
Modulator-demodulator, a device which accepts data, modulates
it, transmits it over a communication system (e.g., telephone),
and performs the reverse when receiving data
Motorized Reader:
Any reader in which the relative motion between the magnetic
stripe and the read head is produced by a motor rather than
manually
N:
North pole of a magnet
NAK:
Negative acknowledgment, an ASCII control character advising
error in the received signal and requesting a repeat transmission
NBS:
National Bureau of Standards (now called NIST)
Nibble:
Half a byte, i.e. 4 bits
NIST:
National Institute of Standards and Technology
NNI:
Netherlands Normalisatie - Instituut, Netherland's National
Standards Organization
Nonmagnetic Material:
Any material that is unaffected by a magnetic field. For practical
purposes, the permeability of such materials is substantially
the same as that of a vacuum
North Pole (N) :
The portion of a magnetized object that, if free to move, will
point toward the portion of the Earth geographically designated
as North; lines of flux emanate from the North pole and enter
the South pole
NRZ Effect (Non Return to Zero):
The characteristic of an encoded magnetic stripe, in which the
read voltage (when read in the same direction as encoded) does
not fully return to zero after a flux reversal peak voltage,
but instead maintains a non-zero value of the same sign as the
prior peak voltage. The NRZ Effect is due to the conjoint action
of the encode head fringe field and the remanence tensor of
the stripe
OEM:
Original Equipment Manufacturer
Oersted:
The cgs unit of magnetizing force, equal to one dyne per unit
pole, or magnetic field strength, equal to the field at one
centimeter from a unit pole
Off-line:
See On-Line
On-Line:
The magnetic stripe terminal (e.g. ATM, EFT, CAT, POS) is connected
via a communications link to the central authorization/transaction
computer during the transaction. If the terminal holds transaction
data in local memory for later transmission to the central computer,
it is said to be off-line
Open-Circuit Magnet:
Any magnetic circuit that is not fully continuous, i.e. that
contains a nonmagnetic gap
Orientation:
The process by which particles are rotated so that their magnetic
pole faces tend to lie in the same direction along the length
of the stripe
Orientation Field:
the magnetic field applied to the magnetic stripe layer while
still wet, to orient the magnetic particles longitudinally
Orientation Ratio:
The ratio of remanence in the longitudinal direction to the
remanence in the transverse direction of a magnetic stripe
Output:
The magnitude of the read signal voltage, usually measured at
the output of the read amplifier
Overlaminate:
See Overlay
Overlay:
A thin transparent layer laminated or coated on a magnetic stripe
card to protect the printing ink from wear
Overwrite:
Re-encode; the data on the magnetic stripe is erased and new
data is encoded
Oxide:
See Pigment, and Magnetic Stripe
Oxide Build-up:
The accumulation of oxide or, more generally, wear products
in the form of deposits on the surface of the heads
Oxide Coating:
See Magnetic Stripe
Oxide Shed:
The loosening of particles of oxide from the stripe coating
during use. The term is often used to denote the production
of wear products in general
Oxide Thickness:
The thickness of the magnetic stripe material
PAN:
Primary Account Number
Paper Ticket:
Card or ticket with base material made from paper stock
Parity Check:
A self-checking code employing binary digits in which the total
number of ones (or zeros) in each code expression is always
even or always odd. A check may be made for even or odd parity
as a means of detecting errors in the system
Parallel Interface:
Communication in which an 8-bit byte of data at a time is transmitted
Particle Shape:
Gamma ferric oxide particles are acicular needles with an average
dimensional ratio of 6 to 1 and magnetic poles at the needle
ends. Barium ferrite particles are irregular shaped, thin plates
with their magnetic poles on the top and bottom of the plates
Permeability:
The ratio of the flux density in a material to the magnetizing
force producing it, referenced to the value for a vacuum
Permeance:
A term describing the relative ease with which flux passes through
a given material or space. The reciprocal of reluctance
Personalization:
See Initialization
Pigment:
The ferromagnetic particles in a magnetic stripe are usually
called magnetic pigments since they are made in a fashion similar
to pigments used in the paint and coloring industries; see Gamma
Ferric Oxide, Barium Ferrite and Strontium Ferrite
PIN:
Personal Identification Number, a 3 to 6 digit number encrypted
in the magnetic stripe encoding on a financial card, which the
cardholder must enter on a keyboard before the card reader system
will process the transaction; equivalent to an electronic signature
Polarity:
The direction of the magnetic field about a magnet, determined
by the location of its North and South poles; every magnet has
two equally stable polarities, obtained by interchanging its
poles
Polyester:
A plastic material frequently used for ID badges, access control
cards, and tickets; more expensive but stronger than PVC; cannot
be embossed and requires higher laminating temperatures
POS:
Point of Sale. The term also refers to two types of terminals
used in retail stores: (a) A terminal with magnetic stripe reader,
keyboard, display and autodialer modem, connected to the telephone
network and used for on-line credit/debit authorization; (b)
A more complex terminal including the above features less modem,
connected to a host computer, which handles all transaction
processing including item price look-up, data collection, and
credit/debit authorization
POT:
Point of Transaction; see POS
Pouch:
The unlaminated outer layer of an ID Badge, usually polyester,
between which the paper core is placed for lamination
Pre-Paid Card:
A card with value encoded on the magnetic stripe, which is re-encoded
with a lower value at each use
Precursor Effect:
The characteristic of an encoded magnetic stripe in which the
read voltage exhibits a secondary peak (of the same sign as
the prior flux reversal peak voltage) immediately before the
voltage reversal for the subsequent peak. The Precursor Effect
is due to the conjoint action of the encode head fringe field
and the remanence tensor of the stripe
Print-through:
The phenomenon in magnetic recording tape where a strongly magnetized
layer changes the magnetization of an adjacent layer in the
reel of tape; not a problem in magnetic stripe technology
Profile:
The deviation of the magnetic stripe surface from flatness;
a positive profile is convex, and a negative profile is concave
Protocol:
A set of definitive directions that must be followed if the
result is to be acceptable for a given purpose
PTB:
Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, the German standards
laboratory
PVC:
Polyvinylchloride, the plastic most commonly used for credit/debit
cards; less expensive but shorter life than polyester; can be
embossed and requires lower laminating temperatures
Quality:
The degree to which a product meets the specifications
Reader:
The electromechanical device used to extract data from a previously
encoded magnetic stripe
Reading:
The process of detecting the flux reversals as one moves along
the length of a previously encoded magnetic stripe
Real-time:
Data is outputted as it is being read from the magnetic stripe,
i.e. at a varying rate with manual readers; opposite of buffered
Reciprocity, Electromagnetic:
Electric current moving through a conductor produces a magnetic
field about the conductor; reciprocally, a conductor moving
through a magnetic field will have a current induced in it
Reference Card:
An international standard magnetic stripe card designed as RM7811/2,
supplied and certified by PTB, with the stripe made from certified
SRM 3200 tape
Reference Tape:
A tape used as a reference against which the performances of
other tapes are compared. The use of a reference tape is necessary
in specifying most performance characteristics because of the
difficulty of expressing these characteristics in absolute terms
Reference Signal Amplitude:
The maximum average read signal amplitude of the PTB standard
Reference Card corrected to the NIST master standard tape
Reformatting:
The process of applying an inverse format algorithm to the binary
bit-string resulting from a magnetic stripe read in order to
extract the encoded data characters
Reliability:
The degree to which a product maintains specified quality under
operating conditions
Reluctance:
The relative resistance of a material or space to the passage
of flux. The reciprocal of permeance
Reluctivity:
The reciprocal of permeability
Remanence:
The magnetic flux density that remains in a magnetic circuit
after removal of applied magnetomotive force
Remanence Tensor:
The property of a magnetic stripe, resulting from the Effective
Coercivities of individual magnetic particles and the way in
which they are laid down, which determines the remanence vector
resulting from an encoding process
Remanence Vector:
The direction and magnitude of the magnetic dipole at a point
in an encoded magnetic stripe
Resolution:
(a) The degree to which the distance between differing states
of magnetization recorded along a stripe can be reduced and
these states still be usefully distinguished on reading;
(b) ratio of the output signal amplitude at the 500 flux transitions
per inch (FTPI) to the output signal amplitude at 200 FTPI
Retentivity (Br /Bs ) :
The ratio of the residual induction to the saturation induction
of a magnetic material; also called Squareness Ratio
Reverse Read:
Reading the magnetic stripe starting at the end containing the
End Sentinel
Right Hand Reader:
See Left Hand Reader
RM:
Reference Material, the German PTB analog of the NIST SRM
Roll-On Stripe:
See Hot Stamping
RS-232-C:
An EIA Recommended Standard interface defining data and control
circuits, for use between data terminal equipment (i.e., computers)
and data communication equipment (i.e., modems) using serial
binary data interchange; a subset of the standard is widely
used for communication between any two types of data processing
equipment
RS-422-A:
An EIA Recommended Standard for differential interface communications
RS-449:
An EIA Recommended Standard interface, essentially an expansion
of the RS-232-C interface with additional control circuits
RS-485:
An EIA Recommended Standard for data communications using a
32-station multi-drop, addressable network
S:
South pole of magnet
Saturation:
A condition where all the available elementary magnetic domains
in a ferromagnetic material are aligned in substantially the
same direction
SCIA:
Smart Card Industrial Association
Screen (Silk Screen) :
A stencil printing process using a silk, organdy, plastic or
steel screen with pervious printing areas and impervious nonprinting
areas
Self-clocking:
That property of biphase which permits encoded magnetic stripes
to be read at different speeds; the Ones frequency is always
twice the Zeros frequency, and the read circuit need only sync
on a string of known Zeros to begin reading at any speed
Serial Interface:
Communication in which a single data bit at a time is transmitted
Separation Loss:
See Spacing Loss
Separator:
See Field Separator
SFD (Switching Field Distribution) :
A measure of the spread of individual particle coercivities
determined by differentiating the B-H hysteresis loop. A figure
of 0.2 implies a gaussian distribution of 20% of particles below
and 20% above the nominal quoted coercivity. SFD is zero for
completely uniform particles
Shaft Encoder:
A device with a wheel in continuous contact with a magnetic
stripe such that a pulse is generated by the device at equidistant
intervals of stripe movement
Shield:
A soft magnetic material used to prevent the passage of magnetic
flux between regions
Shunt:
A soft magnetic material used to by-pass, divert, or redirect
the magnetic flux from the air gap of a magnet
SI:
Système International d'Unités, a system of units
based on meter-kilogram-second (mks) and the Ampere-Turn, i.e.
mks-A
Skimming:
To copy the magnetic stripe encoding from one card to the stripe
on another card; also called bit- copying
Slot Reader:
See Swipe Reader
Slurry:
The mixture of magnetic particles dispersed in a liquid to facilitate
deposition and orientation on a substrate such as tape, card,
or ticket
Solenoid:
An electrical conductor wound into a cylindrical coil; when
electric current flows through the coil, the magnetic field
about the solenoid is similar to that about a bar magnet
Soft Magnetic Material:
Any material exhibiting ferromagnetic properties but having
a remanence that is substantially zero after exposure to a magnetizing
force
South Pole (S) :
The portion of a magnetized object that, if free to move, will
point toward the portion of the Earth geographically designated
as South; lines of flux emanate from the North pole and enter
the South pole
Space:
Telegraph parlance for a logic Zero
Spacing Loss:
The loss in output that occurs when the surface of the coating
fails to make perfect contact with the surfaces of either the
write or read head; the read signal decreases exponentially
with distance between gap and stripe
Spatial Decoding:
A proprietary decoding technique using a dual gap read head,
with the gaps spaced for a specific encoding density, such that
the sequence of flux reversals detected at the two gaps determines
whether the current encoded bit-cell represents a 0-bit or a
1-bit
Specific Magnetization:
The magnetization per unit mass of a material; the cgs unit
is poles/gram (or emu/gm)
Spiking:
A high spot at the edge of a magnetic stripe caused by material
"squirt-out" in hot stamping
Squareness Ratio:
Same as retentivity
SRM 3200:
Standard Reference Material Number 3200, a secondary standard
magnetic tape supplied by the National Bureau of Standards (now
National Institute for Standards and Technology) and certified
for signal amplitude output
Standards:
Usually refers to the ANSI/ISO Standards for financial cards,
which apply to the magnetic stripe media only, and not to encoding
and reading equipment
Start Sentinel:
A defined bit-pattern in an encoding format, which cannot be
an all-Zeros pattern, and which is encoded on the magnetic stripe
immediately preceding the first data character bit-pattern
Strobe:
See Bit & Strobe
Strontium Ferrite:
A magnetic pigment, SrFe, commonly used in high coercivity magnetic
stripes. (700-4000 oersteds)
Subinterval:
The bit cell divided by two.
Substrate:
The material on which the magnetic stripe is deposited
Surface Asperities:
Small, projecting imperfections on the surface of the coating
that limit and cause variations in head-to-stripe contact
Surface Profile:
The average deviation of the magnetic stripe surface from a
straight line, measured in micro-inches per tenth of an inch
of width
Surface Roughness:
The average surface irregularity of the magnetic stripe in both
the longitudinal and transverse directions, measured in micro-inches
Surfactant:
Surface active agent; a substance which alters interfacial tension,
e.g., wetting agent, dispersing agent, used in magnetic stripe
slurries
Susceptibility:
The ratio of the intensity of magnetization to the magnetizing
force, referenced to the value for a vacuum
Swipe Reader:
A manually operated reader with a long narrow channel (slot)
through which the magnetic stripe edge of the card is pushed
T&A:
Time and Attendance systems or applications
Tape Transfer Process:
The magnetic stripe material on a tape specifically made for
the purpose is transferred from the tape to a card or substrate
by laminating, hot stamping, or cold peeling methods
Telescoping:
The deviation from flat of a roll of tickets or magnetic tape,
where the center hub is displaced from the roll
Tesla:
The SI unit of magnetic flux density, equal to 104 gauss
Thermal Ticket:
Card or ticket with one or both sides coated with a thermal
sensitive coating
Thermal Transfer:
See Hot Stamping
THRIFT:
Thrift Industry (Savings and Loans, Credit Unions, etc.)
THRIFT Track:
Used to refer to the ANSI/ISO Track #3 encoded at 210 BPI density
in BCD format
Tilt:
See Zenith Error
Timing Mark/Hole:
A mark or hole on the ticket which is sensed by a detector.
Used to detect the position of a card in a printer or encoder
(usually before cutting ticket)
Timing Track:
A pattern of flux reversals encoded on a magnetic stripe track
other than the data track, used to generate the required pulses
during encoding of the data track
Top-of-Form Mark:
A mark used to detect the top of a card or ticket (usually for
printing or for cutting)
Track:
A strip of specified width and location running the length of
the magnetic stripe on which data is encoded. ANSI/ISO standards
define three track locations for the magnetic stripe on credit/financial
cards, called Track 1, 2 and 3; the tracks are 0.110" wide,
with Track 1 closest to the card edge
Track Spacing:
The distance between the center lines of adjacent tracks
Trailing Zeros:
Clocking bits following the End Sentinel-LRC
Triplex:
A material comprising a sandwich of paper- plastic-paper
Triplex Ticket:
Card or ticket with a base material made from Triplex stock
TTL:
Transistor-transistor-logic; logic Zero = <0.8VDC, logic
One = >2.4VDC, and will source 1.6 mA
Unit Poles:
A fictitious concept used to assign values to the intensity
of force exerted between two magnetic bodies in free space and
divorced of any association with a pole of opposite polarity
in the same body; the cgs unit pole (emu) is the quantity of
magnetism wherein two such poles separated by one centimeter
repel each other with a force of one dyne. The mks-A and SI
system of units replace this concept with current flowing in
a coil, i.e. Ampere-Turns
USNC: :
U.S. National Committee for IEC
Viscosity:
A liquid's resistance to flow resulting from the combined effects
of adhesion and cohesion
Vibrating-Sample Magnetometer, VSM:
A device for determining the magnetic properties of a sample
of magnetic material by vibrating it in a magnetic field and
measuring the emf induced in search coils located close to the
sample. The VSM is particularly useful in determining the specific
magnetic moment of oxides and the oxide loading of high coercivity
stripes, since it can be designed to provide much higher magnetizing
field strengths (10,000 oersted or more) than can be conveniently
obtained in a B-H meter
Wear:
Mechanical alteration of the magnetic stripe and of the read/encode
head resulting from the motion of the head along the stripe
Wearability:
The degree to which a product maintains reliability for a rated
life
Web:
A continuous roll of paper or plastic being manufactured, printed,
or processed in a machine
Weber:
The SI unit of total flux, equal to 108 maxwell
Wet Coating:
A method of applying the magnetic stripe slurry directly to
the finished card, either by printing or extruding
Write:
Same as encoding
Zenith Error:
Tilting of Head. The change in perpendicularity of the head
relative to the plane of the magnetic stripe
Appendix A - Registered
Trademarks
MagStripeTM - Is a registered trademark of American Magnetics
Corporation
PermaCodeTM - Is a registered trademark of Sillcocks Plastics
Intl. Inc. (Secure Image)
ValuGardTM - Is a registered trademark of Rand McNally
WatermarkTM - Is a registered trademark of THORN EMI plc
Watermark MagneticsTM - Is a registered trademark of THORN
EMI plc
XiShieldTM - Is a registered trademark of Xico Inc
XSECTM - Is a registered trademark of XTEC™ Inc
Appendix B - Association
and Standards Organizations
AAMVA:
American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators 4200 Wilson
Blvd., Suite 1100
Arlington, VA 22203-1800 USA
Tel: (703) 522-4200
Fax: (703) 522-1553
BA:
American Bankers Association
1120 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, DC 20036 USA
Tel: (202) 663-5000
Fax:(202) 828-4535
AFNOR:
Association Franç
aise de Normalisation, France's National Standards Organization.
Tour Europe- Cedex 7
92049 Paris La Defense
Acces: La Defense 2
Parking Les Corolles
Tel: +(1) 42 91 55 55
Telex: AFNOR 611 974 F
Telecopie: +(1) 42 91 56 56
AIM, Inc.
634 Alpha Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15238 USA
Tel: (412) 963-8588
Fax: (412) 963-8753
ANSI:
American National Standards Institute
1430 Broadway
New York, NY 10118 USA
Tel: (212) 642-4938
APACS:
Association for Payment Clearing Services, U.K.'s National Standards
Organization
for transaction cards (replacing BSI - British Standards Institute)
Mercury House
Trinton Court
14 Finsbury Square
London EC2A-1BR
Tel: +44 71 711 6200
Fax: +44 71 256 5527
APTA:
American Public Transit Association
1201 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20005 USA
Tel: (202) 898-4000
BSI:
British Standards Institute
2 Park Street
London W1A 2BS England
Tel: +44 1 629 9000
CBEMA:
Computer and Business Equipment Manufacturers Association
1250 Eye Street NW, Suite 200
Washington DC. 20005 USA
Tel: (202) 737-8888
Internet: [email protected]
CEN:
Comité Européen de Normalisation
(European Committee for Standardization)
Rue de Stassart 35
B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32-2-519-68-71
Fax: +32-2-519-69-19
CENELEC:
Comité Européen de Normalisation de lectrotechnique
Central Secretariat
Rue de Stassart 35
B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32-2-519-68-71
Fax: +32-2-519-69-19
CSA:
Canadian Standards Association
178 Rexdale Blvd.
Rexdale, Ontario
Canada, 9W 1R3
Tel: 416/747-4000
Fax: 416/747-4149
DIN:
Deutsches Institut fü
r Normung, Germany's National tandards Organization.
Burggrafenstrasse 6;
D-1000 Berlin 30
Tel: +49 30 2601-1
Telex: 184 273 din d
Telefax: +49 30 2601-231
EFTA:
Electronic Funds Transfer Association
1421 Prince Street, Suite 310
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Tel: 703-549-9800
Fax: 703-683-7614
EIA:
Electronic Industries Association
2001 Eye St. NW
Washington, DC 20006 USA
Tel: (202) 457-4900
TWX: (710) 822-0148
IATA:
International Air Transport Association
IATA Centre Route De L'Aeroport 33
PO Box 672
CH-1215 Geneva 15 Airport
Switzerland
Tel: +022-799-2525
Telex: 415586
ICMA:
International Card Manufacturers Association
24-C Washington Road.
Princeton Junction, NJ 08550
Tel: (609) 799-4900
Fax: (609) 799-7032
IEC:
International Electromechanical Commission
11 West 42nd St.
New York, NY 10036 USA
Tel: (212) 642-4936
ISO:
International Standards Organization
Case postale 56,
CH-1211 Geneve 20,
Switzerland
JIS:
Japanese Industrial Standard
( published and translated into English by Japan Standards Association.)
1-24 Akasaka 4
Minato-ku, Tokyo 107 Japan
LGAI:
Laboratory General D'Assaigs Investigacions,
Spain's National est Laboratory.
08193 Bellaterra,
Barcelona, SPAIN
Tel: +34-3-691-92-11
Fax: +34-3-691-59-11
NBS:
National Bureau of Standards (now called NIST)
Gaithersburg, MD 20899 USA
Tel: (301) 975-2000
NIST:
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899 USA
Tel: (301) 975-2000
NNI:
Netherlands Normalisatie - Instituut, Netherland's National
Standards Organization.
P.O. Box 5059
2600 6B Delft, Netherlands
Tel: +31 15 690 390
Fax: +31 15 690 190
PTB:
Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt,
the German standards laboratory.
Lab. 1.41, Bundesallee 100
D-38116 Braunschweig, Germany.
Tel: +49 531 5920
SCIA:
Smart Card Industrial Association.
6101 Stevenson Ave.
Alexandria, VA 22304 USA
Tel: (703) 461-2307
SI:
Système International d'Unités.
Case Postale 56
CH-1211 Geneve 20, Switzerland
THRIFT:
Thrift Industry (Savings and Loans, Credit Unions, etc.)
USNC:
U.S. National Committee for IEC
ANSI-USNC Department
11 West 42nd St.
New York, NY 10036 USA
Tel: (212) 642-4936
Appendix C - Unit Conversion
Factors
To convert CGS-emu to SI, multiply by the conversion factor,
C.
Quantity
Symbol
Cgs-emu
Conversion factor, C
SI
Magnetic Flux Density
B
Gauss
10-4
Tesla
Magnetic Flux
f
Maxwell
10-8
Weber
Magnetomotive Force
mmf
Gilbert
10/4p
Ampere-Turn
Magnetic Field
H
Oersted
103/4p
Ampere-Turn/m
Magnetization
M
emu/cm3
103
Ampere-Turn/m
Magnetization
4pM
Gauss
103/4p
Ampere-Turn/m
Specific Magnetization
s
emu/g
1
Ampere-Turn xm2/kg
Magnetic Moment
m
emu
10-3
Ampere-Turnxm2
Susceptibility
c
dimensionless
4p
dimensionless
Permeability
m
dimensionless
4p x 10-7
dimensionless
This glossary was developed by AIM, Inc., the world wide trade
association for manufacturers and providers of automatic identification
products, services, and supplies.
AIM, its member companies, or individual officers assume no
liability for the use of this document.
Copyright © 1999 AIM, Inc.
All rights reserved. This document may be reproduced in any
form without prior written permission provided the following
conditions are met:
The document must be reproduced in its entirety including all
references to AIM, Inc.
The document is not sold or remunerations received for the document.
The document is not altered or changed without prior written
permission of AIM, Inc.
Published 11/94
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