REGULA 4197 User manual

MAGNETO-OPTICAL VISUALIZER
User’s Guide
Regula 4197
2018
Certied Quality
Management System

CONTENTS
1 FUNCTION ......................................4
2 AREAS OF APPLICATION ............................4
3 DEVICE DESIGN..................................5
4 DELIVERY SET ...................................6
5 DESCRIPTION OF DEVICE OPERATION ..................6
6 OPERATION ORDER ...............................7
6.1 Preparing for operation .........................7
6.2 Operation execution ...........................9
6.3 Background and frame input options ............... 12
6.4 Processing the results ......................... 14
6.5 Test objects ................................ 34
6.6 Operation completion ......................... 36
6.7 Maintenance ................................ 36
7 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS ....................... 38
8 TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE .................... 38
9 CLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF STORAGE
AND TRANSPORTATION............................ 38
10 ACCEPTANCE CERTIFICATE ........................ 39
11 SALE CERTIFICATE .............................. 39

4
WARNING!
THE DEVICE CONTAINS STRONG MAGNETS. THESE
MAGNETS CAN ATTRACT METALLIC FERROMAGNETIC
OBJECTS ABRUPTLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY. THE
ATTRACTED OBJECT MAY HIT THE DEVICE AND CAUSE
DEVICE DAMAGE. DO NOT BRING OBJECTS MADE OF
FERROMAGNETIC MATERIALS CLOSE TO THE DEVICE
(E.G. TWEEZERS, SCREWDRIVERS, SCISSORS, KEYS,
COINS, DRAWING PINS AND CLIPS, ETC.)
FUNCTION
Magneto-optical visualizer (hereinafter referred to as
the «visualizer») Regula 4197 is intended for expert examination of
document magnetic protection.
The device visualizes images executed with magnetic inks, tapes,
bers and other magnetic materials. The visualized images are
displayed on a PC monitor and can be stored as les of normal raster
graphic formats.
The visualizer allows assessing values of certain magnetic
parameters of document magnetic protection elements. The results
are presented in graphical and numerical form, and can be saved for
later playback and analysis.
The visualizer delivery set includes specialized software that allows
an expert to carry out digital postprocessing of scanned images for
the purpose of their analysis, comparison, assessment of geometric
parameters and sizes, improvement of legibility and clearness.
AREAS OF APPLICATION
Regula 4197 visualizer can be used in:
Forensics: authenticity verication of securities, banknotes;
classication of document and banknote forgery methods;
examination of damaged documents (reading of stained
texts printed in magnetic ink);
Production of securities, banknotes, forms: quality
control of magnetic protection elements; investigation of
magnetic printing techniques and materials;
Banking: authenticity verication of securities, banknotes;
Authenticity verication of banknotes at customs.
1
2

5
DEVICE DESIGN
Visualizer Regula 4197 consists of the following components
(Figure 1): an optical electronic block 1 and a magnetic excitation
system 2. The right 3 and left 4 functional buttons and a LED
indicator 5 are located on the top of the optical electronic block.
The sensitive element (magneto-optical crystal) 6 (Figure 2) is located
on the bottom surface of the optical electronic block. The magnetic
excitation system is removable. There are grooves 7(Figure 3)
intended for positioning the magnetic excitation system on the optical
electronic block. The visualizer is connected to a PC via a USB cable
located on the back of the device. There can be two versions of
the visualizer with one (A) or two (B) USB plugs. In case (B) both
plugs should be connected to the computer sockets.
3
Figure 1
Figure 2

6
Figure 3
DELIVERY SET
The delivery set includes:
Magneto-optical visualizer Regula 4197
Visualizer pad
Special software
User’s guide
Test object
DESCRIPTION OF DEVICE OPERATION
The magneto-optical visualizer Regula 4197 is a USB device.
Its power supply, control, output and processing of examination
results are carried out with the help of a PC. The visualizer is to be
connected to one of PC USB-ports.
The visualizer sensitive element (magneto-optical crystal) senses
the magnetic eld of a magnetic protection element in a questioned
document. The sensitive element state is converted into a digital image
with the help of the optical system and the digital camera, which are
4
5

7
located inside the device. After special preliminary processing, the
image is output to the CADR application window.
Near the sensitive element there is an inductor. In certain visualizer
operation modes, it generates series of magnetic impulses affecting
the sensitive element. The inductor is intended to increase sensitivity
of the visualizer, improve image quality and to generate magnetic
displacement elds used in the mode assessing magnetic parameters
of document security features.
The magnetic excitation system of the device is a source of external
magnetic eld for magnetization of magnetically hard materials and
for magnetic excitation of magnetically soft materials used to produce
magnetic protection elements.
There are two types of materials used to produce document
security features with magnetic properties: magnetically hard and
magnetically soft.
Magnetically hard materials obtain their own magnetic eld
after they are magnetized by an external magnetic eld. The sensitive
element responds to the magnetic eld obtained by magnetically
hard materials.
Magnetically soft materials do not retain their own magnetic
eld after the source of external magnetic eld is removed. But if
they are kept in the magnetic eld created by an external source,
these materials cause distortions of the eld. Such distortions are
detected by the device sensitive element.
The magnetic excitation system enables to distinguish security
features made of different types of magnetic materials: the images
made of magnetically soft materials are visible only if the magnetic
excitation system is installed. The images made of magnetically
hard materials, once magnetized, are visible both with the installed
magnetic excitation system and without it. Some insignicant
differences in the image brightness and contrast are possible.
The CADR software is intended for continuous displaying of the
visualized magnetic image on a PC monitor and for storing separate
image frames at the operator’s choice. In addition, the CADR
application provides a wide range of tools for digital image processing.
The software is included in the visualizer delivery set.
OPERATION ORDER
Preparing for operation
Before the device is switched on for the rst time:
– Make sure the device does not have any visible defects or
damages.
6
6.1

8
If you notice any defects or damages, contact your supplier.
– Place the visualizer pad on a at surface. Observe the requirements
for the surface and for the surroundings of the workplace in which the
visualizer will be used.
1) Objects made of ferromagnetic materials (materials which
attract magnets) must not be placed closer than 0.2 m from the work
area. Such objects are: metallic surface of the laboratory bench, steel
furniture fasteners, tools (tweezers, screwdrivers, scissors, etc.),
stationery (drawing pins, clips), coins, etc.
2) Sources of strong magnetic eld (permanent magnets,
electromagnets, inductance coils) must not be located closer than
0.5 m from the work area.
ATTENTION!
PROXIMITY OF FERROMAGNETIC MATERIALS AND
SOURCES OF THE MAGNETIC FIELD TO THE VISUALIZER
CAN DISTORT THE IMAGE FORMED BY IT.
ATTENTION!
IF OBJECTS MADE OF FERROMAGNETIC MATERIALS
GET INTO THE MAGNETIC FIELD OF THE MAGNETIC
EXCITATION SYSTEM, THE SYSTEM CAN ATTRACT THEM
ABRUPTLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY. THE ATTRACTED OBJECT
MAY HIT THE DEVICE AND CAUSE DEVICE DAMAGE.
Put the visualizer on the pad with the sensitive element facing
downwards. Connect the device to the PC via the USB cable. The LED
on the visualizer body lights up if the connection between the device
and the PC is successful. (When activating the device for the rst
time, PC operating system requires installation of the visualizer
driver. For more details see paragraph 6.2).
Visualizer software installation
The software supplied with Regula 4197 visualizer includes:
1) CADR application,
2) visualizer driver.
The procedure of software installation is the following:
Insert the installation medium with the visualizer software into the
disk drive or USB port of the PC. Create a working folder and copy
the software into it.
Connect the device USB cable to the corresponding port of the PC.
If the USB connection between the visualizer and the PC is successful,
the LED indicator on the visualizer body will light up.

9
The operating system will detect a new USB device and
automatically launch the Device Driver Installation Wizard. Set the
path to the device driver directory manually.
When installation is complete, open the Device Manager window
to check that a new device «Magneto-optical Visualizer 4197» has
appeared in the «Forensic Devices» section. Make sure that the
device is installed correctly (without «?» or «!» marks in the Device
Manager panel).
After the driver has been installed, the CADR application is ready
to be started. You can launch the application by running the le CADR.
EXE in the working folder or by using the application shortcut located
in any suitable place.
Operation execution
Put an examined document and the visualizer (with the sensitive
element facing downwards) on the visualizer pad.
To start the CADR application, double click on the application
shortcut or on the icon of the le CADR.EXE in the folder where the
application is installed.
In the appeared window of the CADR application, click the button
of background image input A(Figure 4).
6.2
Figure 4
An information window with instructions will appear. Follow the
instructions given: lift Regula 4197 5–10 cm above the examined
document and press any of the two functional buttons (3or 4
(Figure 1)) on the visualizer body. After background image input is
performed successfully, the information window will disappear.
The process of background image input can be repeated if necessary.
This need may arise when the resulting image does not satisfy the user
who assumes that the background image was poorly scanned.

10
Put the visualizer on the examined document with the sensitive
element facing downwards.
Not all documents are printed using magnetic ink. So if there is
no document with magnetic security features at the initial startup of
the device, use the test object from the visualizer delivery set to check
device operation.
See paragraph 6.5 for more information about the purpose and use
of the test object.
To activate the mode of continuous image input, press the right
functional button of the visualizer (Figure 1, pos. 3). This mode can
also be activated by clicking on the button of continuous input B
(Figure 4). The continuous input window displaying the visualization
result of the magnetic image on the examined document (Figure 5)
will appear in the CADR main window. When shifting the visualizer
along the document surface, the image in the continuous input window
changes accordingly.
Move the visualizer along the document surface to nd images
printed using magnetic inks.
In the continuous input window, the user can take a single frame
of the examined image for further processing. For this purpose, place
the visualizer so that the questioned image fragment takes the desired
position in the continuous input window. Press the left functional
button of the visualizer (Figure 1, pos. 4). The image fragment will
be copied as a permanent frame into a separate window next to the
continuous input window. Assess the result and, if necessary, repeat
the copying procedure.
It is possible to capture several frames which will be displayed in
separate windows. Afterwards, the images from these frames can be
processed using the tools of the CADR software (for more information
about the tools see the le CADR_ENG.DOC from the visualizer software
set and paragraph 6.4 «Processing the Results»). The obtained results
can be saved to the PC hard disk in one of the standard graphic
formats. To do so, select the menu items [File]->[Save] of the CADR
application.
In the process of device operation, background image input can be
repeated (if necessary) by clicking on image input button and following
the instructions described above.
The visualizer supports two image formats — 512×640 pixels and
1024×1280 pixels. We recommend using the 512×640 format
(Figure 5).