Sensor (scanning a card)

[Don en la red]

Hello everyone

I really need some help with an expression in English. A short outline of the context: A printer is equipped with a device (or a sensor), and people can activate the printer by using a personal card (probably with some kind of chip embedded). Now they have to "pass their card by the sensor" in order to activate the printer (the inverted commas indicate the Danish way of putting it).

I'm would like to know how native speakers would phrase this (= pass their card by the sensor). Would "to scan" be a good choice of word within this context?

--> To print out documents, you have to locate the printer and ??? your personal card.

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!!

 

[Nymeria]

Yes, scan may work here.

If you wanted to use something more similar to the Danish, you could say "pass their card over/across the sensor" instead of "by" and that should be understood too.

"Scan" however is the simplest and most concise option.

 

[bibliolept]

"Scan" is also among the most common and understandable choices.

 

[Don en la red]

THANK YOU!!!

You've been of great help