An ejection malfunction nozzle detecting unit prints plural test patterns on a print sheet using a recording head, and detects ejection malfunction nozzles on the basis of scanned images of the plural test patterns. The plural test patterns are line-shaped or band-shaped images for which a correction process has been performed at plural nozzle positions with a predetermined period. The nozzle positions of the plural test patterns are specified with offset positions different from each other. Further, the ejection malfunction nozzle detecting unit (a) determines a test pattern that densities at periodical ejection malfunction positions have been corrected among the plural test patterns on the basis of density distributions of scanned image of the test patterns, and (b) stores as ejection malfunction nozzle data an offset position of the determined test pattern into a storage device.

A control unit causes a recording head to eject ink from nozzles corresponding to an image to be printed. An ejection malfunction nozzle detecting unit prints a test pattern using the recording head, and detects an ejection malfunction nozzle on the basis of a scanned image of the test pattern. The test pattern includes plural test pattern images such that in each of the plural test pattern images a dot is not formed at a dot position of a target nozzle set as a non ejection nozzle, and the target nozzles of the plural test pattern images are sequentially shifted by one nozzle in a primary scanning direction. Further, the ejection malfunction nozzle detecting unit determines an ejection malfunction nozzle on which ejection deviation occurs, on the basis of density decreasing amounts of respective density decrease parts in the plural test pattern images in the scanned image.

A control unit causes a recording head to eject ink from nozzles corresponding to an image to be printed. An ejection malfunction nozzle detecting unit prints a test pattern using the recording head, and detects an ejection malfunction nozzle on the basis of a scanned image of the test pattern. The test pattern includes plural test pattern images such that in each of the plural test pattern images a dot is not formed at a dot position of a target nozzle set as a non ejection nozzle, and the target nozzles of the plural test pattern images are sequentially shifted by one nozzle in a primary scanning direction. Further, the ejection malfunction nozzle detecting unit determines an ejection malfunction nozzle on which ejection deviation occurs, on the basis of density decreasing amounts of respective density decrease parts in the plural test pattern images in the scanned image.

An image forming apparatus includes a recording head in which a plurality of nozzles for discharging liquid droplets; and a pattern forming unit configured to form a test pattern used for positional deviation adjustment including a first pattern serving as a reference pattern and a second pattern serving as an adjustment pattern. The first pattern and the second pattern each are a linear pattern that is parallel to a nozzle arrangement direction and has a disconnected portion. The disconnected portion of the first pattern and the disconnected portion of the second pattern are shifted from each other in the nozzle arrangement direction.

An image forming apparatus includes a recording head in which a plurality of nozzles for discharging liquid droplets; and a pattern forming unit configured to form a test pattern used for positional deviation adjustment including a first pattern serving as a reference pattern and a second pattern serving as an adjustment pattern. The first pattern and the second pattern each are a linear pattern that is parallel to a nozzle arrangement direction and has a disconnected portion. The disconnected portion of the first pattern and the disconnected portion of the second pattern are shifted from each other in the nozzle arrangement direction.

A continuous inkjet printer (50) has an ink droplet generator (52) and a controller (58) that varies a modulating voltage applied to the ink droplet generator (52) and measures corresponding breakup times of a jet of ink into ink droplets to obtain a portion of a characteristic of breakup time against modulating voltage. The controller (58) obtains a variation range, varies the modulating voltage over the variation range to obtain the portion of the characteristic, calculates a gradient from the portion of the characteristic, compares the gradient with a predetermined gradient and, depending on whether the calculated gradient is less than or greater than the predetermined gradient, generates an adjusted variation range that is displaced in a first sense or a second, opposite sense, respectively, relative to the variation range.

A determination is made on whether or not a recording medium is held in a state where calibration is executable, and the execution is pending in a case where the recording medium is not held. When the execution is pending, the determination is made again after a predetermined period elapses, and the calibration is executed in a case where the recording medium is held.

A determination is made on whether or not a recording medium is held in a state where calibration is executable, and the execution is pending in a case where the recording medium is not held. When the execution is pending, the determination is made again after a predetermined period elapses, and the calibration is executed in a case where the recording medium is held.

A recording device includes a recording head for performing recording on a recording medium, a transporter for transporting the recording medium, a platen for supporting the recording medium, a heater for heating the recording medium supported by the platen, and a control unit, wherein the control unit causes the heater to heat the recording medium at a predetermined and constant heating temperature, causes the recording head and the transporter to record a first test pattern of a predetermined recording density, and a second test pattern of a recording density different from the predetermined recording density on the recording medium, and the recording density of the first test pattern and the recording density of the second test pattern can be set in the heater, and are associated with heating temperature different from each other.

A recording device includes a recording head for performing recording on a recording medium, a transporter for transporting the recording medium, a platen for supporting the recording medium, a heater for heating the recording medium supported by the platen, and a control unit, wherein the control unit causes the heater to heat the recording medium at a predetermined and constant heating temperature, causes the recording head and the transporter to record a first test pattern of a predetermined recording density, and a second test pattern of a recording density different from the predetermined recording density on the recording medium, and the recording density of the first test pattern and the recording density of the second test pattern can be set in the heater, and are associated with heating temperature different from each other.