An inkjet printer is provided, which is configured to acquire gap information related to a gap between an ink discharging surface and a recording sheet in each individual position of top-formed positions and bottom-formed positions within a predetermined wave-shape generating range, identify, when the predetermined wave-shape generating range includes a partial range in which the recording sheet is not placed, a top-formed position where the gap information has not been acquired and a bottom-formed position where the gap information has not been acquired, within the partial range, complement the unacquired gap information in the identified top-formed position with a value determined based on the respective pieces of gap information acquired in other top-formed positions, and complement the unacquired gap information in the identified bottom-formed position with a value determined based on the respective pieces of gap information acquired in other bottom-formed positions.

[Object] To provide a method and apparatus for discharging a liquid material, which can solve the problems regarding the occurrence of a satellite and accuracy of a landing position. [Solving Means] In a method for discharging a liquid material in the state of a liquid droplet through a discharge orifice by applying inertial force to the liquid material, the method is characterized in comprising the steps of measuring a distance A from a lower end of the discharge orifice to a lower end of the liquid material having flowed out from the discharge orifice at the time when the liquid material having flowed out from the discharge orifice separates from the discharge orifice, and setting a distance B between the lower end of the discharge orifice and a work surface to be approximately the same as the distance A. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also provided.

A printing apparatus includes a transport mechanism section which has a support surface that supports and transports a workpiece, a printing mechanism section which has an ink jet head that executes printing on the workpiece that is transported by the transport mechanism section, a detecting section which is provided further on the upstream side in the transport direction than the ink jet head and detects an upper surface position of the workpiece, an adjustment section which adjusts a separation distance between the support surface and the ink jet head, and a control section. In addition, the control section selects a first mode for printing and a second mode for stopping printing by adjusting the separation distance by operating the adjustment section based on a detection result of the detecting section.

According to an embodiment the present invention, a printing apparatus detects a distance between a printhead and a print medium using a sensor while using a print medium for sensor calibration and changing a height from a print position to a carriage, stores first distance information indicating a relationship between the height and a signal representing a result of detecting the distance for each of heights in a memory, obtains second distance information indicating a relationship between the height and the signal representing the result of detecting the distance for each of the heights while using a predetermined print medium and changing the height, compares the first and second distance information, and corrects the first distance information stored in the memory, based on a result of the comparison.

An inkjet printer is provided, which is configured to acquire gap information related to a gap between an ink discharging surface and a recording sheet in each individual position of top-formed positions and bottom-formed positions within a predetermined wave-shape generating range, identify, when the predetermined wave-shape generating range includes a partial range in which the recording sheet is not placed, a top-formed position where the gap information has not been acquired and a bottom-formed position where the gap information has not been acquired, within the partial range, complement the unacquired gap information in the identified top-formed position with a value determined based on the respective pieces of gap information acquired in other top-formed positions, and complement the unacquired gap information in the identified bottom-formed position with a value determined based on the respective pieces of gap information acquired in other bottom-formed positions.

When printing is performed on a medium, a computer of a printing apparatus acquires a space (a PLG level number and a thickness of the medium) between a surface of the medium and a print head, which is formed when an ink is discharged onto a medium from the print head in a printing unit. A high speed/low speed of a carriage speed (print speed mode), print color (monochrome/color), and a transport region (normal region/lower end region) as a transport position of the medium are determined. A calculation expression is selected according to the carriage speed, the print color, and the transport region, and a correction amount according to a gap length is calculated using the selected calculation expression. Also, the transport distance is corrected using the correction amount. Transport control is performed by the transport distance.

A printing method includes performing printing operation on an object by ejecting ink from a nozzle while relatively moving the object and the print head along a printing trajectory by using a robot including the print head in which a plurality of nozzles are disposed, wherein controlling a timing of ejecting the ink from the nozzle or the ejection speed of the ink based on a separation distance between the nozzle and the object.

Examples of the method may comprise providing a print media under a printhead of the printing system, obtaining an actual height profile signal, related to a height between the printhead and the print media, based on measurements taken at a plurality of positions across the width of the media during at least one pass, comparing said actual height profile signal to an earlier height profile signal, obtained based on measurements taken at said plurality of positions across the width of the media during at least one earlier pass on the same print media, and determining a media malfunction condition based on said comparison.

Systems, apparatuses and methods provides for technology that applies, with a printhead of a printing system, ink to a substrate as the substrate remains stationary and the printhead moves across the substrate. The technology determines, with a distance encoder, a distance that the printhead has moved, and controls application of the ink from the printhead to the substrate based on the distance.

Systems for forming three-dimensional marking material images on moving substrates include a print head arranged about a media path by which the substrate passes the print head at a predetermined media velocity. The jets marking material at a predetermined velocity onto the substrate surface to form a three-dimensional marking material image. A firing time of forming a first layer of marking material may be different with respect to a print run start time than a firing time for ejecting marking material for forming successive layers. The firing time may be adjusted by advancing or delaying the firing time with respect to an initial firing time for forming the first layer. The advance or delay may be calculated by a processor, and the calculation may be fed to a time advance/delay buffer contained by the print head.