A printing system includes a print station for receiving print medium traveling along a transport pathway and an adjustable print head assembly. A medium dispenser transports the print medium on the transport pathway to the print station, and a medium width sensor detects the width of the print medium. A pressure sensor arrangement detects pressure imposed by the print head assembly at points along the width of the transport pathway when an image is printed on the print medium. A monitoring subsystem in communication with the medium width sensor and the pressure sensor arrangement calculates, based upon the detected width and the detected pressure, amounts of pressure imposed by the print head assembly along the width of the print medium.

A printing system includes a print station for receiving print medium traveling along a transport pathway and an adjustable print head assembly. A medium dispenser transports the print medium on the transport pathway to the print station, and a medium width sensor detects the width of the print medium. A pressure sensor arrangement detects pressure imposed by the print head assembly at points along the width of the transport pathway when an image is printed on the print medium. A monitoring subsystem in communication with the medium width sensor and the pressure sensor arrangement calculates, based upon the detected width and the detected pressure, amounts of pressure imposed by the print head assembly along the width of the print medium.

According to one embodiment, a thermal heat transfer printer (printer device) includes a printing data look-ahead unit configured to look ahead a data printing position if printing is performed; a head position control unit configured to cause a thermal head, an ink ribbon, and printing paper to be in a contact state or a non-contact state based on a look-ahead result of the printing data look-ahead unit; an ink ribbon saved amount calculation unit configured to calculate a saved amount of the ink ribbon based on a conveyed amount of the printing paper in the non-contact state; and an ink ribbon saved amount display unit configured to display the saved amount calculated by the ink ribbon saved amount calculation unit.

According to one embodiment, a thermal heat transfer printer (printer device) includes a printing data look-ahead unit configured to look ahead a data printing position if printing is performed; a head position control unit configured to cause a thermal head, an ink ribbon, and printing paper to be in a contact state or a non-contact state based on a look-ahead result of the printing data look-ahead unit; an ink ribbon saved amount calculation unit configured to calculate a saved amount of the ink ribbon based on a conveyed amount of the printing paper in the non-contact state; and an ink ribbon saved amount display unit configured to display the saved amount calculated by the ink ribbon saved amount calculation unit.