An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device, an image reading unit, and a control unit. The fixing device includes a heating elements arranged in a main scanning direction, a band-shaped thin film which slides on the surface of the heating element while in contact with the heating element, and a rotatable body configured to press against a surface of the thin film to cause the thin film to rotate. The fixing device heats the heating elements when an inspection sheet is passed through the fixing device, the inspection sheet having plural images formed by using a decolorable developer, each of the images having an image density that differs in a sub-scanning direction of the image forming apparatus. The image reading unit reads an image of the heated inspection sheet and the control unit determines an operative state of each heating element based on the read image.

A first unit includes a receiving portion that receives a medium to be processed, a drying unit that processes the medium received from the receiving portion, and an end stitching unit that processes the medium received from the receiving portion or the medium processed by the drying unit. The processing performed by the drying unit is processing of drying the medium, the drying unit is located vertically below the end stitching unit, and the drying unit and the end stitching unit have a portion overlapping when viewed in a vertical direction.

A sheet folding system includes a plurality of sheet folding apparatuses configured to receive and perform a folding process on a sheet and circuitry configured to distribute sheets to the plurality of sheet folding apparatuses. Each of the plurality of sheet folding apparatuses includes a folding device configured to fold the sheet, a first conveyance passage configured to convey the sheet downstream in a sheet conveyance direction without passing through the folding device, a second conveyance passage configured to convey the sheet to the folding device, a third conveyance passage configured to convey the sheet from the folding device downstream in the sheet conveyance direction, and a junction between the first conveyance passage and the third conveyance passage. The circuitry controls sheet conveyance to prevent an interference, at the junction, between the sheet conveyed from the first conveyance passage and the sheet conveyed from the third conveyance passage.

A stereoscopic image forming method forms a color stereoscopic image on a recording medium having a thermal expansion property. The stereoscopic image forming method includes the steps of: fixing a color image on the thermally expandable recording medium using a color material; and irradiating the fixed color image with light of a light source having a maximum emission wavelength in a wavelength range of 280 to 780 nm. This light is absorbed by a compound contained in the color material to generate heat of the compound.

A method for producing a printed material includes providing pressure-induced phase transition particles to a part of an outside margin portion or a portion to be folded of a recording medium; bonding the pressure-induced phase transition particles to the recording medium; and pressure-bonding a multilayer body in which plural recording media are stacked, the recording media including the recording medium having the pressure-induced phase transition particles bonded thereon.

A method for producing a printed material includes providing pressure-induced phase transition particles to a part of an outside margin portion or a portion to be folded of a recording medium; bonding the pressure-induced phase transition particles to the recording medium; and pressure-bonding a multilayer body in which plural recording media are stacked, the recording media including the recording medium having the pressure-induced phase transition particles bonded thereon.

A sheet processing apparatus performs folding processing so that one end of a sheet exists inside the folded sheet. The sheet processing apparatus includes a transport path to guide a transported sheet, a rotating body pair capable of transporting the sheet in a first direction to perform folding processing, and in a second direction for switching back the sheet subjected to the folding processing, a folding blade that pushes the sheet to a nip portion of the rotating body pair, a press member that presses the sheet folded by the rotating body pair in the second direction, and a shift section that shifts the press member for pressing the sheet. In switching back the sheet, a control section controls transport of the sheet so that the one end of the sheet is halted within a region between the press member and a guide face of the transport path.

A sheet processing apparatus includes a transport path to guide a sheet transported in a predetermined transport direction, a rotating body pair capable of transporting the sheet in a first direction for nipping the sheet transported to the transport path thereby drawing the sheet to perform folding processing, and in a second direction for switching back the sheet to return to one direction side in the transport direction, a press member for pressing the sheet folded by the rotating body pair in the second direction, and a support portion for supporting the press member, where the support portion is disposed on the side opposite to the rotating body pair with the transport path therebetween and on the other direction side opposite to the one direction side in the transport direction with a nip line for connecting between the nip portion and a front end portion of the folding blade therebetween.

A post-processing apparatus includes memory and a processor configured to control a curving device that curves a sheet, which is transported to the curving device, by pressing the sheet, control folding processing that is performed on a sheet curved by the curving device, and control, when folding processing is performed such that two ends of a sheet in a transport direction of the sheet face outward in opposite directions after the folding processing has been performed on the sheet, the curving device so as to curve the sheet in plural directions with respect to a transport surface.

A photocuring printing system. A developing drum is rotatable and is light-transmissive; the developing drum and a carrier are oppositely arranged and movable with respect to each other; the developing drum has a developing surface on which an electrostatic latent image is formed by the developing engine; a feeder and the developing surface are oppositely arranged; during a rotation of the developing drum, a photocurable material provided by the feeder is selectively attracted by the electrostatic latent image to form a material layer on the developing surface; the material layer is applied, by the developing drum, on a forming surface of the carrier or a cured model on the carrier; and a curing light beam emitted by a curing light source passes through a material-laying side of the developing drum to irradiate the material layer between the developing drum and the carrier to form a cured layer.