Abstract: Herein is described a method involving a drop detector. The method may comprise: ejecting ink drops from the nozzles on a printhead toward a drop detector. A drop characteristic may then be determined from the drop detector for each ink-jet nozzle. Drop characteristics for the nozzles across the printhead may be collated into a data set, and compared with a predetermined data set for a printhead having predetermined print behaviour to determine if and how the data sets differ in terms of the pattern of drop characteristics across the printheads. If the data sets differ, a recovery strategy may be selected based how the data sets differ in terms of the pattern of drop characteristics across the printheads. A system and computer readable medium are also described herein.

Abstract: A method of controlling a printer is described, for printing a pattern from a first row of fluid ejection nozzles and a second row of fluid ejection nozzles in a multi-pass printing mode. The first and second rows of fluid ejection nozzles eject fluid of a first type and fluid of a second type, respectively. The method comprises: assigning respective parts of the pattern to be printed to the first and second rows of fluid ejection nozzles; applying a first mask to the first row of said ejection nozzles and a second mask to the second row of fluid ejection nozzles for printing with selected nozzles of each of the rows of fluid ejection nozzles during each pass; wherein the first mask comprises a mesa portion and the second mask comprises a mesa portion wherein the mesa portion of the first mask includes at least a first peak and the mesa portion of the second mask includes at least a second valley, the first peak overlapping with the second valley.

Abstract: Herein is described a method involving a drop detector. The method may comprise: ejecting ink drops from the nozzles on a printhead toward a drop detector. A drop characteristic may then be determined from the drop detector for each ink-jet nozzle. Drop characteristics for the nozzles across the printhead may be collated into a data set, and compared with a predetermined data set for a printhead having predetermined print behaviour to determine if and how the data sets differ in terms of the pattern of drop characteristics across the printheads. If the data sets differ, a recovery strategy may be selected based how the data sets differ in terms of the pattern of drop characteristics across the printheads. A system and computer readable medium are also described herein.

Abstract: A method of controlling a printer is described, for printing a pattern from a first row of fluid ejection nozzles and a second row of fluid ejection nozzles in a multi-pass printing mode. The first and second rows of fluid ejection nozzles eject fluid of a first type and fluid of a second type, respectively. The method comprises: assigning respective parts of the pattern to be printed to the first and second rows of fluid ejection nozzles; applying a first mask to the first row of said ejection nozzles and a second mask to the second row of fluid ejection nozzles for printing with selected nozzles of each of the rows of fluid ejection nozzles during each pass; wherein the first mask comprises a mesa portion and the second mask comprises a mesa portion wherein the mesa portion of the first mask includes at least a first peak and the mesa portion of the second mask includes at least a second valley, the first peak overlapping with the second valley.

Abstract: Among various embodiments of the present disclosure, systems and methods for diagnosing printhead status are shown. The printhead status can be diagnosed by detecting which of a number of nozzles in a first printhead fire ink; and printing with visible ink a diagnostic plot using a second printhead that maps which nozzles fire ink in the first printhead. The number of nozzles in the first printhead which fire ink is determined by visually identifying the nozzles that fire ink in the second printhead as indicated by the placement of the visible ink on the diagnostic plot.

Abstract: A page wide array printer comprises a print head bar which carries an array of print nozzles, and which is static during a printing operation. A carriage has print head service elements. The print head bar is movable perpendicularly to the plane of the print medium beneath the print head, between a lowered print position and a raised service position. The carriage is moveable along the print head to perform a service operation when the print head is in the raised position.

Abstract: A method of printing comprising: determining the position of ink marks on a medium resulting from the breakaway of secondary ink drops from primary ink drops; and positioning the primary ink drops on the medium using said determination.

Abstract: Printing is performed at a full resolution using a first set of nozzles and a second set of nozzles arranged on a printhead. Printing is performed at less than the full resolution using the first set of nozzles less any nozzles in the first set of nozzles that have been determined to be defective. The second set of nozzles is not used for printing at less than the full resolution except for a subset of nozzles in the second set of nozzles that are used to replace nozzles from the first set of nozzles that have been determined to be defective.

Abstract: A method of printing on a substrate and a printer are provided. The method uses a printer comprising a print head and a mask having a hole therethrough, the mask being disposed between the print head and the substrate, and comprises aligning the hole with the print head; printing on the substrate through the hole; and misaligning the hole with the print head so that the print head is covered by the mask. The method may allow the servicing of a print head in the array while the printer is printing on the substrate using at least one of the remainder of the print heads in the array.

Abstract: A method of printing on a substrate in a page-wide array printer comprises printing on the substrate as the substrate is moved through a printing zone of the printer in a first direction, and printing on the substrate as the substrate is moved through the printing zone in a second direction different to the first direction.

Abstract: Among various embodiments of the present disclosure, systems and methods for diagnosing printhead status are shown. The printhead status can be diagnosed by detecting which of a number of nozzles in a first printhead fire ink; and printing with visible ink a diagnostic plot using a second printhead that maps which nozzles fire ink in the first printhead. The number of nozzles in the first printhead which fire ink is determined by visually identifying the nozzles that fire ink in the second printhead as indicated by the placement of the visible ink on the diagnostic plot.

Abstract: A page wide array printer comprises a print head bar which carries an array of print nozzles, and which is static during a printing operation. A carriage has print head service elements. The print head bar is movable perpendicularly to the plane of the print medium beneath the print head, between a lowered print position and a raised service position. The carriage is moveable along the print head to perform a service operation when the print head is in the raised position.

Abstract: A method of printing on a substrate and a printer are provided. The method uses a printer comprising a print head and a mask having a hole therethrough, the mask being disposed between the print head and the substrate, and comprises aligning the hole with the print head; printing on the substrate through the hole; and misaligning the hole with the print head so that the print head is covered by the mask. The method may allow the servicing of a print head in the array while the printer is printing on the substrate using at least one of the remainder of the print heads in the array.

Abstract: Printing is performed at a full resolution using a first set of nozzles and a second set of nozzles arranged on a printhead. Printing is performed at less than the full resolution using the first set of nozzles less any nozzles in the first set of nozzles that have been determined to be defective. T he second set of nozzles is not used for printing at less than the full resolution except for a subset of nozzles in the second set of nozzles that are used to replace nozzles from the first set of nozzles that have been determined to be defective.

Abstract: A method of printing comprising: determining the position of ink marks on a medium resulting from the breakaway of secondary ink drops from primary ink drops; and positioning the primary ink drops on the medium using said determination.