A method for printing sheet-type substrates to prevent streaks during the ink-jet paint coating of substrates, includes moving a substrate in a feed direction past an application device by means of a conveying device, applying with the application device, during the movement of the substrate, a fluid application material drop by drop to the surface of the substrate in a pattern with a pre-defined contour, in particular leaving out regions, through a plurality of ink-jet nozzles arranged in a row transversely to the feed direction, in response to computer-controlled switching signals, and during the application of the pattern and during the movement of the substrate, moving the ink-jet nozzles back and forth transversely to the feed direction, preferably in the longitudinal direction of the arranged row of ink-jet nozzles, such that the paths travelled by the nozzles over the substrate by the overlap of the movement back and forth with the movement in the feed direction have direction components running perpendicular to the feed direction.

A liquid ejecting device includes a supporting unit supporting a medium, an ejecting unit ejecting liquid onto the medium, a scanning driving unit moving the ejecting unit, and a control unit controlling the ejecting unit and the scanning driving unit. The control unit is configured to be capable of performing, a first processing for forming a test pattern, and acquiring an ejection velocity parameter associated with an ejection velocity of the liquid detected from the test pattern, a second processing for calculating the ejection velocity of the liquid from the ejection velocity parameter, calculating a first correction component that depends on the calculated ejection velocity, and setting a correction value including the first correction component, and a third processing for correcting ejection timing of the liquid using the correction value, when the liquid is ejected from the ejecting unit onto the medium as the ejecting unit is moved.

Certain examples describe a method of calibrating a printer and a printing system. An interferential pattern is printed in the form of a print calibration image on a print medium. Data representative of the interferential pattern as printed on the print medium is detected using an optical sensor. The printer is calibrated based on the captured data. The interferential pattern is based on a waveform that varies in amplitude along an axis perpendicular to a printing axis under calibration and has repeated sets of multiple patterns based on the waveform, the repeated sets having a varying pattern spacing in the printing axis under calibration.

Certain examples describe a method of calibrating a printer and a printing system. An interferential pattern is printed in the form of a print calibration image on a print medium. Data representative of the interferential pattern as printed on the print medium is detected using an optical sensor. The printer is calibrated based on the captured data. The interferential pattern is based on a waveform that varies in amplitude along an axis perpendicular to a printing axis under calibration and has repeated sets of multiple patterns based on the waveform, the repeated sets having a varying pattern spacing in the printing axis under calibration.

An inkjet printing apparatus includes a mounting unit where a recording medium is mountable, a head unit that ejects ink droplets to the recording medium, a planar direction driving unit that drives at least one of the head unit ejecting the ink droplets and the mounting unit to move in a planar direction and that changes a relative positions of the head unit and the mounting unit in the planar direction, and a height direction driving unit that changes a relative positions of the head unit and the mounting unit in a height direction perpendicular to the planar direction. The planar direction driving unit has a moving speed changing mechanism that changes a carriage speed between the head unit and the mounting unit in the planar direction. The height direction driving unit has a distance changing mechanism that changes a distance between the head unit and the mounting unit.

A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a discharge head including nozzles; a head scanning mechanism that reciprocatingly moves the discharge head in a main scanning direction; a conveyor that conveys a recording medium in a sub-scanning direction; and a controller. In one pass, the controller executes: recording processing in which an image is formed on the recording medium by moving the discharge head in the main scanning direction and discharging liquid from the discharge head; setting processing in which the discharge head moves to a starting position of the recording processing for a subsequent pass following the one pass by changing a moving direction of the discharge head at a standstill position; and conveyance processing in which the recording medium is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction.

A liquid discharge apparatus includes a recording head configured to discharge a liquid to form a pattern on a recording medium and a reading device configured to read the pattern. The apparatus further includes circuitry configured to form at least two first markers while moving the recording head relative to the recording medium in a head movement direction; form a second marker at one of positions of the at least two first markers, to form a pattern including a reference marker formed with one of the at least two first markers and a measurement marker in which the second marker is overlaid on another of the at least two first markers; and measure a distance between the reference marker and the measurement marker in the head movement direction based on information obtained by the reading device.

An image forming apparatus includes (a) recording heads, (b) an optical detection part that emits light, receives reflected light reflected on a recording medium, and generates a sensor output in correspondence with the reflected light, (c) a medium information acquisition processing part that sets a pattern image formation position where a test pattern image is formed on the recording medium based on reflection characteristics, the reflection characteristics being obtained from the sensor output of the optical detection part, (d) a pattern image formation processing part that forms the test pattern image at the pattern image formation position using the recording heads, (e) a pattern image detection processing part that detects the test pattern image at the pattern image formation position using the optical detection part, generating a detection result, and (f) an image forming condition setting part that sets an image forming condition based on the detection result.

In a state where a distance from an ejection port surface of an ejection head to a predetermined position corresponds to a first distance, a period detection unit detects a first period from when ejection of a droplet from an ejection port is started until when a droplet detection unit detects the droplet, and in a state where the distance from the ejection port surface of the ejection head to the predetermined position is changed to a second distance by a change unit, the period detection unit detects a second period from when ejection of a droplet from the ejection port is started until when the droplet detection unit detects the droplet, the second distance being different from the first distance. A calculation unit calculates an ejection speed of the droplet, based on the first distance, the second distance, the first period, and the second period.

When an adjustment sheet is set on a recording surface of a medium, the adjustment sheet is transported together with the medium in a transport direction by a transport unit of a recording device. The adjustment sheet includes a first surface that contacts the recording surface, and a second surface that is a surface located opposite to the first surface and includes an adjustment region being a region in which an adjustment pattern detectable by a detection unit of the recording device is formed. A prescribed pattern has been formed in a region different from the adjustment region on the second surface.