A method of forming an image on a print media including releasably securing a fabric layer to a carrier layer, the carrier layer including a first surface including a first area, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a first rigidity, the fabric layer including a third surface, a fourth surface opposite the third surface and including a second area, and a second rigidity less than the first rigidity, and a first adhesive, wherein the fabric layer is secured to the carrier layer by the first adhesive bonding a first portion of the fourth surface to the first surface, applying a first liquid marking material to a first portion of the third surface of the fabric layer, and drying the first liquid marking material to the first portion of the third surface with a first dryer.

A printable media including a carrier layer, a fabric layer and a first adhesive. The carrier layer includes a first surface having a first area, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a first rigidity. The fabric layer includes a third surface, a fourth surface opposite the third surface and including a second area, and a second rigidity less than the first rigidity. The fabric layer is secured to the carrier layer by the first adhesive bonding a first portion of the fourth surface to the first surface.

According to one embodiment, there is provided a belt positioning structure including a belt roller, a belt, a projection, and a first rotating body. The belt roller is rotatable about a roller axis. The belt is wound around the belt roller. The projection is provided so as to protrude from an inner peripheral surface of the belt. The first rotating body regulates the projection from moving in a first direction approaching the belt roller along the roller axis. The first rotating body is rotatable around an axis. At least a portion of an outer peripheral surface of the first rotating body faces a side surface of the projection on the first direction side.

An image forming apparatus includes: a transfer unit that transfers an image onto an object by making contact with the object; a holding unit that holds the object having a circumferential surface so that the circumferential surface rotates along a transfer direction of the transfer unit; and a transport unit that transports the holding unit holding the object along a transport path, and the transfer unit transfers an image onto the circumferential surface of the object in a circumferential direction as the object rotates, by making contact with the circumferential surface of the object maintained at a transfer position.

A method of printing a part in an electrophotographic additive manufacturing system includes printing a part and associated support structure in a layer by layer manner, and providing a chamber in which printing is performed. The chamber is supported by a movable platform and the chamber is positioned about a movable platen. The movable platen is supported by the movable build platform. The movable platen is movable within the chamber on the movable build platform. An electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system for printing a three-dimensional part includes a transfer medium configured to receive and transfer imaged layers of a three-dimensional part, and a support from one or more imaging engines. The system includes a heater configured to heat the imaged layers on the transfer medium to at least a fusion temperature, and a layer transfusion assembly configured to transfuse the imaged layers to the build platen or a previously printed layer.

A method of operating a selective deposition-based additive manufacturing system capable of building a three-dimensional (3D) part includes developing a first layer using at least one electrostatographic engine, conveying the first layer from the at least one EP engine to a transfusion assembly, determining an anticipated transfusion overlay error for the first layer, determining whether the anticipated transfusion overlay error exceeds an overlay error specification, discarding the first layer after determining that the anticipated transfusion overlay error exceeds the overlay error specification, developing a successive layer using the at least one electrostatographic engine, conveying the successive layer from the at least one electrostatographic engine to the transfusion assembly, and transfusing the successive layer on a part build surface using the transfusion assembly to build the 3D part in a layer-by-layer manner on a part build platform.

A selective-deposition-based additive manufacturing system (10) includes a transfer medium (24) configured to receive the layers (22) from an imaging engine (12), a heater (72) configured to heat the layers (22) on the transfer medium (24), and a layer transfusion assembly (20) that includes a build platform (28), and is configured to transfuse the heated layers (22) onto the build platform (28) in a layer-by-layer manner to print a three-dimensional part (22). The transfusion assembly (20) includes a nip roller (320) configured to deform when transfusing the heated imaged layers (22) to reduce deformation of the layers (22).

A toner is provided. The toner comprises a maleic-acid-modified polyolefin having a polypropylene block in a main chain and having a weight average molecular weight of 60,000 or more.

In a method of producing a 3D part using an electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system, a plurality of layers of a powder-based material are developed using at least one electrophotography (EP) engine. The developed layers are transferred to a transfer medium. The layers on the transfer medium are dried by heating the layers without fully fusing the powder-based material to itself using a dryer. This reduces a water content of the layers. The dried layers are heated on the transfer medium to at least a fusion temperature, at which the power-based material fuses together, using a pre-transfusion heater. The dried layers are then transfused together on a build platform using a transfusion assembly to build the part in a layer-by-layer manner.

A transfer belt according to one or more embodiments may include a surface to which a developer image is to be transferred and from which the transferred developer image is to be transferred from to a medium. The transfer belt may be configured having characteristics in which a dipole component of the surface of the transfer belt is not less than 0.3 dyn/cm and not larger than 1.9 dyn/cm.