Paper facts3-6 Generic MICR Fundamentals GuideRequirements for background reflectance are discussed inchapter 4, “Document design.”CurlAll papers curl to some degree. Excessive curl is one of the mostcommon causes of paper jams. Selecting a low-curl paper withthe proper moisture content makes a significant difference in theproductivity of your system. Refer to the operator guide for yourprinter for paper curl recommendations specific to your printer.Because the front and back surfaces of the paper, as determinedduring the paper making process, differ slightly in their makeup,one side is preferred as the side to image first. If you are using aquality 24 pound/90 gsm paper intended for xerographicpurposes, the ream wrapper is marked with an arrow thatindicates the preferred printing side. Print on this side for one-sided printing. For two-sided printing, print on this side first(unless instructed otherwise in the operator guide for your laserprinter).How you load preprinted paper is determined by the preprinting.Preprinted forms should be produced so that their curl iscompatible with the requirements in your MICR printer operatorguide.PerforationWhen you use perforated paper, your objective is to have asmooth, free-feeding sheet that retains sufficient beam strengthto prevent sheet fold-over, buckling, or jams.If you use preperforated forms, consider the following factors:• Use 24 pound/90 gsm paper.• Use a perforation that lets the sheets retain as much stiffnessas possible. Reduced stiffness may result in jamming andpaper mutilation.• Perforations should be nine per inch.• All holes should be the same size.• The ratio of holes to paper (tie size) should be less than orequal to 1:1. In other words, the tie size should be at least aslarge as the hole size.
