Products & Services
Detector Options and Specifications (Click here to download the Hardware Information Sheet)
The focus of the ICS detector range is on assessing note quality.
A key component in the measurement of note quality and an established indicator of note condition is the soil level of the note. ICS has therefore developed a range of detectors which evaluate the soil levels on notes and break this down into 16 categories. The detectors use proven reflective sensor technology to provide a level of consistency and repeatability across all equipment types. In addition to note soil levels the detectors also determine the note denomination and are time stamped so that they can also provide productivity, location and time details.
The detectors are pre set, they are not field adjustable and are designed to operate with minimal local service involvement- typically requiring only normal operator cleaning processes. It is not intended that the ICS detectors will allow any local modification of parameters and they will therefore provide a constant and consistent review of note conditions independently of any local productivity adjustments which may be made by cash centre operational management to manage their yield and productivity levels.
The ICS detector will not impact any such modifications to host equipment and will continue to report on actual inventory rather than output inventory.
ICS recognises however that whilst soil is a valid indicator of note condition for paper based currency there is a trend in the market for the introduction of other substrate material such as polymer. These materials have different quality characteristics and soil is a less useful indicator. ICS has therefore also developed a solution which facilitates the assessment of the degradation of the quality of these notes in circulation. Based on the latest camera technology the detector measures the degree to which the image of the note has deteriorated and breaks this down into 9 categories of note wear.
In a number of countries the Central Bank operates a mixed substrate policy and in these instances ICS would deploy both the soil and wear detectors to ensure that all note types are evaluated and trends in quality of all notes are quantified.
In addition to these detector developments ICS is also working in technologies to link note condition to individual notes. This can be achieved at either serial number, printer, issue or batch number depending on individual customer requirements. By doing this ICS is able to track a note from its creation, through its life to its eventual destruction and monitor the whole circulation of that note, which could be of particular benefit to future money laundering legislation and also in the management of supply contracts with commercial printers.