A Walk in the Park

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With remote parking pay stations, or ‘pay-on-foot’ systems, drivers pay for their parking at one or more pay stations before entering their vehicle. After paying, your parking ticket is returned to you and is used to exit the parking garage via an unattended terminal and a barrier gate. This system virtually eliminates exit lines and the pollution, wasted fuel, wasted time and aggravation that go with them.

With over 30 years of experience in the parking industry, US-based Secom International builds, installs and services on-line, real-time parking access and revenue control systems for clients worldwide. Secom pay stations allow multiple validations, vouchers and coupons, and accept payment by coins, notes and credit cards, as well as dispensing notes and coins as change.
 
When Secom wanted to reduce the costs and further improve the reliability of their pay-on-foot pay station, they had to consider the need for a wide operating temperature range, simplicity of paper replenishment, and ease of integration in any new receipt printer. A non-functioning pay station results in longer walks for patrons and longer queues at the remaining pay stations, so reliability that allows uninterrupted 24/7 operating was a must. These requirements led them to select the Hengstler C-56 thermal printer to generate customer receipts.
 
Designed for paper 58 to 60 mm wide, the C-56 uses a minimal number of moving parts to maximise reliability. The elimination of a presenter should simplify printer operation and reduces cost, while the wide temperature range of -30°C to +70°C makes it suitable for use outdoors. A print speed of 220 mm/second gets users on their way fast, and the paper transport system is designed to ensure jam-free operation. The autoloading feature and the use of a non-axial paper holder simplify paper replacement while eliminating the possibility of losing a paper roll spindle.
 
Secom has now also integrated the printer in their Exit Ticket Acceptor.