In an imaging method an image or multiple images, an ink specification and substrate or substrates for imaging are selected. A central computing device (CCD) determines a volume of ink required to form the images and communicates with a plurality of printers that are geographically remote from the CCD. Each of the plurality of printers communicates to the CCD an ink specification available at the printer, a volume of ink available and optionally substrates that are available at the printer location. The CCD selects a printer or printers from the plurality of printers to fulfill the print job considering the geographic location of the printer(s), the ink specification available to the printer, and the volume of ink available at the printer. The CCD provides to the printer information and specifications which may include an image specification, an ink specification, a waveform specification and a substrate specification.

The printing apparatus is provided with a transport mechanism section that transports work, a printing mechanism section that has nozzles, which carry out printing by discharging an ink, as liquid droplets, onto the work transported by the transport mechanism section, and an adjustment section that adjusts a volume per single droplet of the ink discharged from the nozzles on the basis of a separation distance between the nozzles and the work, which is positioned directly below the nozzles.

In an example implementation, a method of dual and single drop weight printing includes operating a printing system in a hybrid drop weight print mode to enable ejecting black ink from high drop weight nozzles and low drop weight nozzles, and ejecting color ink from high drop weight nozzles but not from low drop weight nozzles.

In an image processing apparatus, a controller generates print data using target image data. The print data represents dot formation states classified for respective pixels. Each dot formation state is classified into a one of a plurality of dot types. The controller determines a dot type from a plurality of dot types including a first type dot and second type dot. The first type dot is formed by a first process for supplying a pressure applying section with a specific signal. The second type dot is formed by a second process that is not for supplying the pressure applying section with the specific signal. The first type dot is to be formed in an edge printing area. The first type dot is not to be formed but the second type dot is to be formed in an interior printing area.

An inkjet printhead prints test patches of magnetic ink having magnetic particles using different ink droplet sizes on print media. A sensor scans the test patches to determine test patch densities. A processor determines a table-based density that produces a user-selected magnetic strength by applying the selected magnetic strength to a density and magnetic strength relationship table. The processor identifies a matching test patch as one of the test patches having a density that most closely matches the table-based density, identifies a selected droplet size as the ink droplet size used to print the matching test patch, and controls the printhead to produce magnetic ink droplets of the selected droplet size when printing a print job for the selected magnetic strength.

Provided is an ink jet recording method including recording an infrared absorbing image by applying a first ink, which contains an infrared absorber and a first curable compound, onto an impermeable substrate by an ink jet method, semi-curing the infrared absorbing image by irradiating the infrared absorbing image with active energy rays, recording a non-infrared absorbing image by applying a second ink, which has a content of the infrared absorber of lower than 0.1% by mass and contains a second curable compound, to a surface of the substrate with the infrared absorbing image by the ink jet method, and curing the semi-cured infrared absorbing image and the non-infrared absorbing image by irradiating these images with active energy rays.

A geographically remote computing device transmits an image to a central computing device. The geographically remote computing device also communicates specifications of a substrate or substrates to be imaged to the central computing device. The central computing device selects a geographically remote fulfillment printer. A local, but geographically diverse distribution system is available according to the invention. The central computing device chooses the geographically remote fulfillment printer as a function of factors such as the selected image and substrate, printer capabilities, and the consumer's location. Image quality and consistency is maintained by the central computer selecting an appropriate geographically remote computing device and providing printer the appropriate instructions, rather than the instructions for printing being determined locally at the printer.

White-balance is improved when printing on colored media, while minimizing the time and use of costly materials required by present approaches. In an embodiment, the typical solid white fill or background layer is altered by including in the white layer one or more of the other colors already available in the printer to shade this layer. Thus, a small amount of cyan, for example, helps balance a pink-ish (red) media; yellow is used for blue media; and magenta is used for green media; as well as combinations thereof. A combination of transparent process inks and opaque white helps to maintain brightness (luminosity).

In one example, a first subset of a plurality of pixels in a halftone is determined to be associated with a first colorant. A second subset of the plurality of pixels in the halftone is determined to be associated with a second colorant, the second colorant being different from the first colorant. Pixel data associating a pixel in the plurality of pixels in the halftone with the first colorant and not the second colorant is generated when the pixel is included in the first subset and the second subset. Pixel data associating the pixel in the plurality of pixels in the halftone with the second colorant and not the first colorant is generated when the pixel is included in the second subset and not the first subset.

The present disclosure relates to a printhead control system for a printer, wherein the printer includes at least one printhead comprising a plurality of nozzles for ejecting printing fluid, wherein the nozzles include high drop weight nozzles and low drop weight nozzles ejecting drops of different drop weight, and are each arranged to eject printing fluid on a print medium such as to print images in frame areas of the print medium and such as to clean nozzles in spit bar areas of the print medium; the printer further includes a transport unit for moving the print medium relative to the printhead, wherein the print medium includes frame areas for printing images and spit bar areas for cleaning the nozzles; the printhead control device including: a module to determine a first group of said nozzles located over a frame area of the print medium and a second group of said nozzles located over a spit bar area of the print medium; a module to operate the high drop weight nozzles of the first group such as to eject printing fluid and print an image in the frame area; a module to operate disable the low drop weight nozzles of the first group such as to not eject printing fluid in the frame area; and a module to operate the high drop weight nozzles and the low drop weight nozzles of the second group such as to alternately eject printing fluid in the spit bar area.