Abstract: An apparatus (100) and method (400, 500) that controls the rate of movement of a fusing belt in a printing apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus can include a fusing belt (120) and at least one fusing belt support roller (131), where the fusing belt can be entrained on the fusing belt support roller. The fusing belt support roller can have an axis of rotation (135). The apparatus can include a pressure roller (132) that contacts the fusing belt to form a fusing nip (137). The pressure roller and the fusing belt can be configured to fuse an image on a media sheet (112) in the fusing nip. The apparatus can include a belt position changing mechanism (150) coupled to the fusing belt. The belt position changing mechanism can be configured to move the fusing belt axially relative to the fusing belt support roller axis of rotation. The apparatus can include a belt position changing control module (152) coupled to the belt position changing mechanism.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are several embodiments to facilitate the characterization of fuser stripping performance. Recognizing that the characteristics of a substrate exiting a fusing nip are indicative of the operation of the nip and the stripping operation itself, several contact and non-contact sensing methods are described to detect or predict degraded stripping performance, thereby permitting one or more compensation techniques to be employed, or to identify the need for fuser subsystem replacement.