An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit configured to perform image formation in a first mode, in which image formation is performed by a plurality of image forming stations, or a second mode, in which image formation is performed by a predetermined image forming station among the plurality of image forming stations; and a controller configured to: control the image forming unit to perform a preparation operation in accordance with color mode information; set a restricted operation state in which the controller prohibits the image formation in the first mode and permits the image formation in the second mode when any one image forming station, except for the predetermined image forming station, is incapable of performing image formation; and prevent the image forming unit from performing the preparation operation when the first mode is set as the color mode information and the restricted operation state is set.

A method and system for managing one or more high frequency service items associated with a device. A parent/child relationship between the high frequency service items can be defined to track replacement of components based on a service action related to a child component. A taxonomy of related service items and servicing functions can be specified in an XML document associated with the rendering system. The relationship between the high frequency service items can be indicated utilizing a related component indicator and a HFSI counter. A parent component can be replaced by a maintenance operator and an aggregate child component can be rebuilt by a service engineer in order to retain the component life thereby reducing down time and service costs.

To notify a residual life of a replaceable part at appropriate time on image quality required by the user. An image forming apparatus including: a replaceable part used for image formation; an output unit configured to output information indicating that a usage amount has reached a threshold; an input unit configured to input information; and a control unit configured to change the threshold in accordance with information about image quality input by the input unit.

An image formation device for executing a printing job to form a toner image on a record sheet includes: an operation panel configured to move between a first position at which the operation panel protrudes from a front of a device body and a second position at which the operation panel is retracted to a device body side with respect to the first position; an acquisition device configured to obtain state information indicating a state of the device body; and a hardware processor configured to determine, based on the obtained state information, whether the state of the device body is a state requiring a user access to the device body or a state of accessing to the device body and to retract the operation panel to the second position when a determination result is positive.

In order to achieve at least one of the above-described objects, an image forming apparatus reflecting an aspect of the present invention includes: an image carrier configured to carry and transport a latent image; a charging member configured to be rotatable and disposed in contact with a surface of the image carrier; an acquisition device configured to acquire an electrical characteristic of the charging member; and a processor configured to calculate a range of fluctuation of the electrical characteristic associated with rotation of the charging member.

A belt driving device that drives an endless belt, the belt driving device includes: circuitry configured to correct a belt position, which is the position of the endless belt in a width direction, to a set position; calculate an estimated life of the belt driving device based on correction time taken for the correction of the belt position; and output the estimated life.

An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device having a fixing belt assembly including a heater, a fixing belt, a heater temperature sensor, and a belt temperature sensor, and a pressure roller; a drive current sensor; and a life information acquisition portion. The heater temperature sensor detects the temperature of the heater. The belt temperature sensor detects the temperature of the fixing belt. The pressure roller presses against the fixing belt. The drive current sensor detects a drive current of a drive motor that drives the pressure roller. The life information acquisition portion acquires life information of the fixing belt assembly. A controller selects a failure prediction processing mode based on the detection result of the drive current sensor and selects a driving method based on the detection results of the temperature sensors and the acquisition result of the life information acquisition portion in each mode.

An image formation apparatus includes: a replaceable part attached to an image formation device and including an information storage unit having unique identification information stored therein; an error detector which detects an occurrence of an anomaly; an error code storage unit having a first error code and a second error code stored therein, each code indicating a content of error display concerning the anomaly; and a controller which determines whether the replaceable part is of a first type or a second type based on the identification information. The controller outputs a first notification signal indicating a content corresponding to the anomaly of the first error code if the replaceable part is of the first type when the error detector detects the anomaly, and outputs a second notification signal indicating a content corresponding to the anomaly of the second error code if the part is of the second type.

Provided is an image-forming device that improves convenience for a user. The image-forming device includes a plurality of power-supply stages, remaining paper amount detection sensors, and a system control unit. A remaining paper amount detection sensor detects the remaining paper amount in a paper-supply stage. When the remaining paper amount that is detected by the remaining paper amount detection sensor is less than a fixed value, the system control unit sets the paper-supply stage having a paper amount that is less than the fixed value as a FAX use only paper-supply stage.

An image-forming apparatus includes, in a body having a predetermined house, an image-reading unit and an image-forming unit that is configured to form an image read by the image-reading unit. A discharge portion is configured to discharge a sheet on which the image was formed onto a discharge tray. An intra-apparatus-discharge space is formed in the body between the image-reading unit and the image-forming unit. The housing includes therein a consumption article mounting portion in which a consumption article used by the image-forming unit is mounted. At least a portion of a surface of the housing at a region of the consumption article mounting portion has a light-transmissive property. When the consumption article is consumed and needs to be replenished, the operator can visually check the region of the consumption article mounting portion in the housing from the outside of the body through the transparent portion.