A method of operating an electrophotographic printer (100) to control the optical density of a printed image is described. The method comprises providing a printing substance on a transfer member (104); emitting a pulse of heat to heat the printing substance on the transfer member to increase flowability of the printing substance on the transfer member; and transfer-ring, from the transfer member to a substrate (108), the printing substance heated by the pulse of heat so as to provide the printed image on the substrate.

An ink film construction including: (a) a printing substrate; and (b) at least one ink film, fixedly adhered to a top surface of the printing substrate, the ink film having an upper film surface distal to the top surface of the substrate, wherein a surface concentration of nitrogen at the upper film surface exceeds a bulk concentration of nitrogen within the film, the bulk concentration measured at a depth of at least 30 nanometers below the upper film surface, and wherein a ratio of the surface concentration to the bulk concentration is at least 1.1 to 1.

An ink film construction including: (a) a printing substrate; and (b) at least one ink film, fixedly adhered to a top surface of the printing substrate, the ink film having an upper film surface distal to the top surface of the substrate, wherein a surface concentration of nitrogen at the upper film surface exceeds a bulk concentration of nitrogen within the film, the bulk concentration measured at a depth of at least 30 nanometers below the upper film surface, and wherein a ratio of the surface concentration to the bulk concentration is at least 1.1 to 1.

An image forming apparatus includes a transfer unit, a container, and a calculator. The transfer unit transfers to at least one recording medium at least one toner image formed in accordance with image data without margins set along edges of the at least one recording medium. The container contains toner collected from the transfer unit. The calculator calculates an amount of the toner of parts of the at least one toner image outside the edges of the at least one recording medium. A time period during which the container is able to be used is calculated in accordance with an accumulated amount of the toner calculated by the calculator.

An image forming apparatus includes a transfer unit, a container, and a calculator. The transfer unit transfers to at least one recording medium at least one toner image formed in accordance with image data without margins set along edges of the at least one recording medium. The container contains toner collected from the transfer unit. The calculator calculates an amount of the toner of parts of the at least one toner image outside the edges of the at least one recording medium. A time period during which the container is able to be used is calculated in accordance with an accumulated amount of the toner calculated by the calculator.

An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum for bearing a developer, a charging roller that comes into contact with the photosensitive drum at a different velocity and that charges the photosensitive drum, a transfer roller that transfers a developer image on the photosensitive drum to a recording material, and a developing sleeve that supplies a developer to the photosensitive drum and that recovers a developer on the photosensitive drum after transfer. A detecting device detects information relating to injection charging, and a controller controls an amount of the fogging developer during image formation according to information detected by the detecting device while suppressing the amount of the developer recovered in the developing sleeve.

An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum for bearing a developer, a charging roller that comes into contact with the photosensitive drum at a different velocity and that charges the photosensitive drum, a transfer roller that transfers a developer image on the photosensitive drum to a recording material, and a developing sleeve that supplies a developer to the photosensitive drum and that recovers a developer on the photosensitive drum after transfer. A detecting device detects information relating to injection charging, and a controller controls an amount of the fogging developer during image formation according to information detected by the detecting device while suppressing the amount of the developer recovered in the developing sleeve.

A device and production method, in which a workpiece is built up gradually in layers. To build up the workpiece, preformed layers, which are individually formed on a layer support using an electrophotographic printing process are transferred one at a time from the layer support to the workpiece. For this purpose, the layer is transferred to the workpiece in a printing operation, the layer being preferably laid on the workpiece by a die. In one embodiment, a plurality of workpieces are built up simultaneously and a plurality of preformed layers are transferred simultaneously to different respective workpieces. In another embodiment, the layer is formed on the layer support, which is preferably a film or paper, prior to being transferred.

A device and production method, in which a workpiece is built up gradually in layers. To build up the workpiece, preformed layers, which are individually formed on a layer support using an electrophotographic printing process are transferred one at a time from the layer support to the workpiece. For this purpose, the layer is transferred to the workpiece in a printing operation, the layer being preferably laid on the workpiece by a die. In one embodiment, a plurality of workpieces are built up simultaneously and a plurality of preformed layers are transferred simultaneously to different respective workpieces. In another embodiment, the layer is formed on the layer support, which is preferably a film or paper, prior to being transferred.

A method of operating an electrophotographic printer (100) to control the optical density of a printed image is described. The method comprises providing a printing substance on a transfer member (104); emitting a pulse of heat to heat the printing substance on the transfer member to increase flowability of the printing substance on the transfer member; and transferring, from the transfer member to a substrate (108), the printing substance heated by the pulse of heat so as to provide the printed image on the substrate.