An image forming apparatus includes a first plurality of image forming sections that form a first toner image for adjustment and transfer the first toner image for adjustment to a medium; a second plurality of image forming sections that form a second toner image for adjustment and transfer the second toner image for adjustment to the medium; and a detection device configured to detect a misregistration between the first toner image for adjustment transferred to the medium and the second toner image for adjustment transferred to the medium.

A printer includes a first printing unit responsible for one of preceding printing and subsequent printing that are to be performed on one sheet in overprinting, an other of the preceding printing and the subsequent printing being performed by a second printing unit; and a base-printing controller that causes the first printing unit to print a base for printing by the second printing unit in an operation of forming a test pattern for registration between the preceding printing and the subsequent printing on the sheet.

Provided is a powder pasting device for pasting powder on an image pattern formed on one main surface of a recording medium, the powder pasting device includes: a powder holding member having a powder holding surface holding powder by sticking; a powder supplying member that supplies powder to the powder holding surface; a rubbing member that rubs the powder holding surface to which powder has been supplied from the powder supplying member; and a facing member that is disposed at a position facing the powder holding surface of the powder holding member, sandwiches a recording medium having an image pattern functioning as an adhesive between the powder holding surface and the facing member, and thereby transfers the powder held on the powder holding surface by sticking onto the image pattern.

In one example of the disclosure, a first print engine is caused to print a first image in a first set of sectors of a substrate. A second print engine is caused to print a second image in a second set of sectors of the substrate. The second print engine is caused to print a cover-up image over an incidence of the first image printed by the first print engine. The second print engine is caused to print a calibration image upon the cover-up image.

An image forming system includes a first image forming apparatus and a second image forming apparatus. The first image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that at least forms an image of a first color. The second image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image of a second color different from a color of an image formed by the image forming unit of the first image forming apparatus, and also includes an image forming unit that forms an image of the first color. The first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus use the first color to form positional-adjustment images for adjusting image formation positions between the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus.

An image forming apparatus as a first apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image onto a recording medium, a memory that stores first and second information, and a correcting unit that corrects an image formation position by the image forming unit in accordance with the first or second information. The first information is for correcting misregistration between a print position in the first apparatus and a print position in a second image forming apparatus as a second apparatus when an image is formed by the first apparatus and an image is subsequently formed by the second apparatus. The second information is for correcting misregistration between the print positions in the second and first apparatuses when an image is formed by the first apparatus, an image is subsequently formed by the second apparatus, and then an image is formed by the first apparatus.

An image forming apparatus includes: plural image forming units that each include plural image forming sections and a first intermediate transfer body to which toner images formed by the plural image forming sections are transferred through first transfer; plural second transfer sections provided in correspondence with the plural image forming units to transfer the toner images on the first intermediate transfer body to a recording medium through second transfer; and a detection device that detects the toner images downstream of a most downstream one of the second transfer sections.

An image forming system comprises a sheet supply section configured to supply a sheet for printing. The system includes a registration roller configured to guide the sheet supplied from the sheet supply section along a conveyance path. A first image forming section is configured to form a first image on the sheet based on reference image information using a first colorant type that is capable of being fixed to the sheet by heat. A fixing section is configured to heat the sheet on which the first image has been formed. A second image forming section is configured to receive the sheet from the fixing section and form a second image using a second colorant type on the sheet after the sheet has been passed through the fixing section. A controller is configured to control a heating temperature of the fixing section in two or more stages.

An image forming apparatus includes a main body casing having a front side wall having a plurality of cartridge ports and a tray port, each of the plurality of cartridge ports extending in a first direction and being aligned in a second direction; a reading scanner unit provided above the main body casing; and a sheet discharging unit configured to discharge a sheet and positioned between an upper side wall of the main body and the reading scanner unit. The apparatus further includes a sheet feeding unit positioned below a door provided on the front side wall; a plurality of toner cartridges which are attached to the plurality of cartridge ports; and a plurality of photosensitive drums being detached from the main body casing in the second direction, each of the plurality of toner cartridges being spaced apart from the plurality of photosensitive drums in a third direction.

An image forming method includes: supplying a powder onto a recording medium; supplying a coated toner onto the powder on the recording medium; and fixing the powder to the recording medium by heating the coated toner supplied onto the powder and melting the coated toner.