| For
the Apex or Trilogy to accept new currencies, there are strict
requirements for the currency sets used during development. This
is to maximize quality and reduce the chance of having to modify
the firmware's acceptance after the initial release. The quality
of the currency used for development directly impacts the performance
of the firmware.
1. For each denomination
or style of banknote (often there are old and new styles for the
same denomination), there must be a minimum of 40 pieces provided.
The Trilogy can accept bills up to 85mm wide, and the Apex can
accept bills up to 72mm wide.
2. Bills must consist
of a balanced assortment, ranging from older (well-circulated,
"street-grade") to newly printed (uncirculated or very
recently put into circulation). All bills must be free from holes,
tears, ink marks, stains, or other damage which exceeds the typical
amount of wear, fading, or accumulation of dirt from handling.
3. All bill denominations
or styles are necessary, even those which are not to be accepted.
This is necessary to guarantee rejection of those notes which
are to be excluded from the firmware. There can be exceptions
to this rule depending on the length, width, or design characteristics
of the bills which are to be rejected by the firmware. Most banknotes
are not designed for machine recognition, so it is our policy
to take every measure possible to ensure the best possible performance
of our firmware.
PTI
will not develop firmware unless the currency sets meet the above
criteria.
We
can be quite flexible in the arrangements for customer-supplied
development banknotes. PTI can often purchase some or all of the
currency or apply it as payment for acceptor orders. Otherwise,
the currency can be used for development and then returned to
the customer upon completion. |