A system includes a processor that executes computer executable components stored in a memory. The system includes a first component to receive data generated by at least one sensor. The system further includes a second component to generate an array that determines between activating one of a purge routine and a diagnostic routine on a printhead based on the array. The array is a function of the data. The system further includes a control component operable to selectively activate the purge routine on the printhead based on the determination.

A maintenance method for a liquid discharging apparatus including a discharging portion that discharges liquid, the maintenance method includes acquiring first viscosity information related to viscosity of the liquid inside the discharging portion, discharging a first amount of the liquid from the discharging portion, acquiring second viscosity information related to viscosity of the liquid inside the discharging portion, and discharging a second amount of the liquid based on the first viscosity information and the second viscosity information, from the discharging portion.

The position information includes first position information about a position, at a first timing, of a droplet ejected from a first nozzle, which is one of the plurality of nozzles, and traveling in air, and second position information about a position, at the first timing, of a droplet ejected from a second nozzle, which is one of the plurality of nozzles N and is different from the first nozzle, and traveling in air.

An apparatus includes a printing head (154) comprising jet nozzles (158) spaced apart from one another, where a distance from a first jet nozzle to a second jet nozzle positioned adjacent the first jet nozzle defines a jet-spacing, a printing head position control assembly includes a first actuator assembly (102) to move the printing head along the longitudinal axis and a second actuator assembly (103) to move the printing head along a latitudinal axis, and an control unit communicatively coupled to the printing head position control assembly. The control unit causes jet nozzles to dispense drops of binder (50) while the printing head traverses a first pass trajectory along the longitudinal axis in a first direction, indexes the printing head to a second pass trajectory along the latitudinal axis, and causes jet nozzles to dispense drops of binder while the printing head traverses the second pass trajectory along the longitudinal axis in a second direction.

A printing apparatus includes a printing head including a nozzle configured to discharge a dot of a first size and a dot of a second size smaller than the first size, the dots being ink dots, and a control unit configured to control the printing head to print, on a printing medium, a test pattern for inspecting a state of ink discharge by the nozzle. The test pattern includes a first pattern element formed by a plurality of the dots of the first size and a second pattern element formed by a plurality of the dots of the second size. The control unit causes the printing head to print the test pattern where a number of the dots of the second size forming the second pattern element is greater than a number of the dots of the first size forming the first pattern element.

A printing apparatus includes a printing head including a nozzle configured to discharge ink, and a control unit configured to control the printing head to print a test pattern on a printing medium, for inspecting a state of ink discharge by the nozzle. The test pattern includes a pattern element formed by a plurality of dots of the ink, and the control unit causes the printing head to print the test pattern where a number of the dots forming the pattern element on a second printing medium is smaller than a number of the dots forming the pattern element on a first printing medium, the second printing medium being more susceptible to bleed-through of the ink than the first printing medium.

A three-dimensional object production method according to the disclosure includes a step of allocating one of regions in a nozzle row (22) that is different from each other to each of pixel groups (25A, 25B) divided into a predetermined number n (n being an integer ≥2) of groups among pixel rows constituting the unit layer (25), and a step of forming the pixel rows by nozzles (21) included in each region forming one pixel group (25A, 25B).

There is provided an image recording apparatus, including: a conveyer; a recording head; a carriage; a signal output circuit; and a controller. When recording is performed by a multi-pass recording mode, when the number of defective-discharge nozzles is less than a predefined value, when a discharge-defective nozzle, in which a dot recording ratio using a first mask data is equal to or more than a threshold value, is included in nozzles, and when a discharge-defective nozzle, in which a dot recording ratio using a second mask data is equal to or more than the threshold value, is not included in the nozzles, the controller sets the second mask data as a used mask data and performs recording without a suction purge. In other cases, the controller sets the first mask data as the used mask data and performs a purge process before recording as needed.

A head alignment apparatus for determining a reference position using position synchronization and aligning a plurality of head modules according to the reference position, and a substrate treating system including the same are provided. The head alignment apparatus may include, a reference position determining unit for determining a first reference position of a head transfer, in which a plurality of inkjet head modules are installed; and a mounting position determining unit for determining a second reference position of the inkjet head module based on the first reference position so that the inkjet head module can be moved from a current position to a second reference position, wherein the reference position determining unit determines a first reference position using a first image sensor installed on the same plane as the inkjet head module and a second image sensor installed facing the inkjet head module.

A method for assessing the condition and improving the printing quality of printing nozzles in printheads of an inkjet printing machine includes printing a nozzle test chart formed of a specific number of horizontal rows of equidistant vertical lines printed periodically underneath one another, with only every n.sup.th printing nozzle contributing to the test chart in every row of the test chart and n corresponding to a different number between one and the specific number of horizontal rows, recording and digitizing the test chart and analyzing the test chart regarding the condition of the contributing nozzles by using a computer. The nozzles printing horizontal lines between the horizontal rows complementing the equidistant vertical lines to form quadrangular objects used by the computer to analyze the condition of the contributing nozzles. Measures are taken to improve the printing quality of the nozzles depending on the condition of the contributing nozzles.