Abstract: Printing system and method for reducing the visibility of gloss differentials having at least one computer-supported inline imaging unit assembly designed to measure specular light reflecting gloss differentials of printed ink. At least one smoothing roller assembly is operationally connected to at least one sheet transport assembly or a smoothing transport subassembly of the sheet transport assembly of the printing system. A smoothing roller assembly is designed to roll at least partly the length and width of at least one printed side of at least one printed sheet disposed along the transport subassembly, pressure generated by the smoothing roller assembly configured to reduce detected gloss differentials from printed ink. At least the outer surface of the at least one smoothing roller assembly is substantially at least one or more of metal and polyurethane.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet discharge unit having a rotary unit disposed downstream of a fixing nip in a sheet conveyance direction and discharging the sheet to outside of the image forming apparatus. The rotary unit includes bodies to abut the sheet which are disposed side by side in a width direction orthogonal to the sheet conveyance direction. A stacking unit stacks the sheet discharged by the sheet discharge unit, a fan blows air and includes a rotation shaft extending in the width direction, and a duct discharges the air toward the stacking unit. The rotary unit is disposed such that at least a part of the rotary unit enters an inside of the duct, and with respect to the width direction, at least a part of a first area in which the fan is disposed overlaps a second area in which the rotary unit is disposed.

Abstract: An image forming system includes an image forming unit, a varnish applying unit, a control unit that executes an operation in an image forming mode in which a toner image is formed on a recording material and a varnish image is formed on the recording material on which the toner image is formed, and an input unit that permits input of a line width adjusting value of either one of a line width of a portion of the varnish image overlapping with an image portion and a line width of a portion of the varnish image overlapping with a non-image portion, wherein the varnish image is formed so as to extend over an image portion where the toner image is formed on the recording material and a non-image portion where the toner image is not formed on the recording material.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a transfer member, an acquiring portion, an applying portion, and a controller. When a transfer voltage is subjected to constant-voltage control so that the transfer voltage applied to the transfer member by the applying portion is substantially constant, in a case that the transfer voltage, when a toner amount used for a toner image is a first toner amount, is a first voltage, the controller controls the applying portion so that the transfer voltage is a second voltage lower in absolute value than the first voltage in a case that the toner amount is a second toner amount greater than the first toner amount. The acquiring portion acquires toner amount information on the toner amount for each toner image transferred onto a single recording material.

Abstract: A feeding apparatus includes a feeding unit, an ion generating unit and a controller. The ion generating unit irradiates the sheet fed by the feeding unit with the ion. The controller acquires an information on the fed sheet and to controls the ion generating unit. The controller operates the ion generating unit in a case that the information of the sheet is a first information, and does not operate the ion generating unit in a case that the information of the sheet is a second information.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes, an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on a sheet using printing toner and apply powder adhesive on the sheet, a fixing portion configured to heat the toner image formed on the sheet and the powder adhesive applied on the sheet by the image forming portion and fix the toner image and the powder adhesive to the sheet, and a bonding portion configured to bond the sheet with the powder adhesive by reheating the sheet having been heated by the fixing portion. The bonding portion is arranged above the image forming portion.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a heating section that heats in a non-contact manner a front surface of a recording medium; a feeding section that feeds the recording medium while causing the front surface to be opposed to the heating section; and a maintaining section that, in order to enable the recording medium to be fed by the feeding section while a rear surface that is opposite to the front surface, and that is in an image region where an unfixed-image is formed on the front surface is in a non-contact state, maintains the non-contact state.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit, a varnish coater, and a controller. When a first image forming job in which a toner image is formed to a first recording material and varnish is not applied is executed, the controller controls conveyance of the first recording material at a fixing nip portion such that a conveyance speed of the first recording material at the fixing nip portion is a first conveyance speed. When a second image forming job in which a toner image is formed to a second recording material of which a grammage is the same as a grammage of the first recording material and varnish is applied is executed, the controller controls conveyance of the second recording material at the fixing nip portion such that the second recording material is conveyed at a second conveyance speed faster than the first conveyance speed.

Abstract: An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus, a varnish application apparatus, and a controller. When the image forming apparatus is in a standby state and preheating of varnish in a tank by a heater is completed, if an image forming job of forming a toner image on a first recording material and applying varnish thereto by a varnish coater is received, the controller controls a guide member to guide the first recording material to a first conveyance path. When the image forming apparatus is in a standby state and preheating of varnish in the tank by the heater is not completed, if an image forming job of forming a toner image on a second recording material and not applying varnish thereto by the varnish coater is received, the controller controls the guide member to guide the second recording material to a second conveyance path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a connection portion to which a first optional device and a second optional device are selectively detachably connectable, and a determination portion configured to determine whether to prohibit an operation of the image forming apparatus. A plurality of first optional devices are stacked and connectable to the image forming apparatus. The second optional device is installed on a floor and is connectable to the first optional device. In a case in which the second optional device is not connected and the first optional devices of a number larger than a first threshold value are connected to the image forming apparatus, and in a case in which the second optional device is connected and the first optional devices of a number larger than a second threshold value are connected to the image forming apparatus, the determination portion prohibits the operation of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic developer set having a toner and a powder adhesive, wherein the toner comprises a thermoplastic resin A; the powder adhesive comprises a thermoplastic resin B and a wax A; the wax A has two or more ester groups in the molecule; the thermoplastic resin B has an ester group; and in a viscoelasticity measurement, with Gt?(100) (Pa) being a storage elastic modulus at 100° C. of the toner, and Gb?(100) (Pa) being a storage elastic modulus at 100° C. of the powder adhesive, Gb?(100) is 1.00×105 Pa or less, and Gt?(100)/Gb?(100) is 1.20 or more, as well as a method for producing a bonded product using the above electrophotographic developer set.

Abstract: A cooling device includes a cooling member to absorb heat from a conveyed sheet and a plurality of cooling units to cool the cooling member. Each of the cooling units includes a coolant channel through which a coolant flows and a liquid-cooling device configured to cool the coolant that flows in the coolant channel. The coolant channels are disposed on or inside the cooling member and arranged side by side in a sheet conveyance direction. The coolant channels includes a downstream coolant channel being downstream from at least one of the plurality of coolant channels in the sheet conveyance direction, and an upstream coolant channel being upstream from the downstream coolant channel in the sheet conveyance direction. One of the liquid-cooling devices coupled to the downstream coolant channel has a cooling capacity higher than a cooling capacity of another of the liquid-cooling devices coupled to the upstream coolant channel.

Abstract: An imaging system includes a toner transfer device, a leveling device and a glossing device. The toner transfer device transfers gloss toner to a surface of a medium. The leveling device levels a layer of the gloss toner on the surface of the medium. The glossing device performs a re-melting process and a cooling process on the medium after the layer of the gloss toner has been leveled.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus forms a stable image on a recording material by using toner containing a release agent. A toner image can be formed on the recording material using a fixer, and a reverse transport path arranged on a downstream side of the fixer can reverses and transports the recording material after fixing. A reverse roller provided on the reverse transport path can reverse and send out the recording material by reversely transporting the recording material. A transporter can be provided between the fixer and the reverse roller on the reverse transport path, and a release agent remover removes the release agent adhering to the reverse roller. In embodiments, the transporter can include a release agent adhesion preventer that prevents the release agent from adhering to the transporter.

Abstract: In order to properly suppress a discharge defect corresponding to an image ratio of a sheet, in the case where a coefficient of friction is different according to the image ratio of an image on the sheet, an air blowing section is arranged to blow air toward a downstream side in a transport direction from between a downstream-side end portion of a first stacking section and an upstream-side end portion of a second stacking section. When an image ratio of an image on a sheet by an image forming apparatus is a first value, the air blowing section sets an air quantity blown to the sheet at a first air quantity F1, while when the image ratio is a second value higher than the first value, setting the air quantity blown to the sheet at a second air quantity F2 larger than the first air quantity F1.

Abstract: A sheet-member guide structure includes a first guide member that guides a sheet member from a fixing unit to a transport roller unit, the fixing unit fixing an image formed on the sheet member to the sheet member by heating the sheet member that is transported, the transport roller unit transporting the sheet member; and a second guide member that comes into contact with the sheet member to which the image has been fixed by the fixing unit and guides the sheet member to the transport roller unit, the second guide member being disposed downstream of the first guide member in a transporting direction in which the sheet member is transported and being made of a material having a thermal conductivity higher than a thermal conductivity of a material of the first guide member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes, an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on a sheet using printing toner and apply powder adhesive on the sheet, a fixing portion configured to heat the toner image formed on the sheet and the powder adhesive applied on the sheet by the image forming portion and fix the toner image and the powder adhesive to the sheet, and a bonding portion configured to bond the sheet with the powder adhesive by reheating the sheet having been heated by the fixing portion. The bonding portion is arranged above the image forming portion.

Abstract: A recording material cooling device 20 includes a rotating endless first belt 21 and an endless second belt 25 which forms a cooling nip T4 with the first belt 21 and which nips and feeds the recording material in the cooling nip T4 through rotation. A heat sink 30 for cooling the first belt 21 or the second belt 25 is provided. On the second belt 25 side, a belt cleaning device 90 is provided. The belt cleaning device 90 contacts the second belt 25 and removes a deposited matter such as toner and a wax deposited on the second belt 25. The belt cleaning device is capable of removing the deposited matter deposited on the belt nipping and feeding the recording material for cooling the recording material.

Abstract: A sheet cooling device includes a main assembly, a cooling unit, drawable out of the main assembly with respect to a drawing direction and a restricting member. The restricting member is positionable in a first position where the cooling unit is restricted from drawing out of the main assembly and in a second position lower than the first position where said restricting member opposes to an installation surface on which the sheet cooling device is installed.

Abstract: A layer transfer device configured to transfer at least one layer of a multilayer film onto a toner image includes: a sheet conveying unit; a supply reel; a wind-up reel; a film transfer unit; and a peeling roller disposed between the film transfer unit and the wind-up reel in a conveyance path and configured to peel off the multilayer film from a sheet, and the film transfer unit includes: a first roller provided to contact the sheet; and a second roller provided to contact the multilayer film, and a tangent line of the second roller at a downstream end of a nip part passes between a center of the second roller and a center of the peeling roller, and an angle formed by the tangent line and a film tension portion of the multilayer film tensed between the nip part and the peeling roller is 15 to 37 degrees.

Abstract: A cooling device for cooling a recording material on which a toner image is fixed includes: a rotatable feeding belt configured to feed the recording material by rotation; a rotatable member configured to nip and feed the recording material in cooperation with the feeding belt; and a heat sink contacting a solid lubricant contacting an inner peripheral surface of the feeding belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image former that forms a toner image on paper using a toner containing a wax component; a fixer that fixes the toner image formed on the paper; a cleaner including a cleaning roller that contacts a surface of the paper that has passed through the fixer and causes the wax component to adhere to an outer peripheral surface of the cleaning roller; a cooler that supplies air at least over the outer peripheral surface of the cleaning roller; and a hardware processor that controls operations of the cleaner and the cooler.

Abstract: A cooling device for cooling a recording material on which a toner image is fixed includes: a rotatable feeding belt configured to feed the recording material by rotation; a rotatable member configured to nip and feed the recording material in cooperation with the feeding belt; and a heat sink contacting an inner peripheral surface of the feeding belt. The feeding belt contains a fluorine-containing resin additive.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit, a fixing device, and circuitry is provided. The image forming unit is configured to perform a special image forming operation that forms a color toner image and a special toner image with a color toner and a special toner, respectively, on a recording medium and a normal image forming operation that forms the color toner image without forming the special toner image on the recording medium. The fixing device is configured to fix the color toner image and the special toner image on the recording medium. The circuitry is configured to perform, in the special image forming operation, a toner amount suppression control that makes an amount of the color toner on the recording medium per unit area smaller than that in the normal image forming operation.

Abstract: To improve heat dissipation efficiency by a heat dissipating portion relative to a heat receiving portion contacting an inner peripheral surface of belts while effectively utilizing spaces in the belts forming a nip in which a recording material is cooled, where heat sinks 53 and 54 are disposed on and under upper and lower belts 51 and 52, heat absorbing portions 53a and 53b (contact portions with the belts) are provided by being shifted in a sheet feeding direction so as not to contact each other through the belts, but heat discharging portions 53c, 53d, 54c, and 54d are disposed in an extended manner so as to overlap with the heat absorbing portions on opposite sides. Thus, it becomes possible to enhance heat dissipation efficiency in spaces in limited belt cross sections, and to meet downsizing and speed-up of the device.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and a nip width controlling method, capable of preventing deterioration in fixing quality by controlling the nip width with high accuracy, are provided. The fixing apparatus includes a pair of fixing members that are in pressure-contact with each other and in which at least one of the members rotates to thereby form a fixing nip that sandwiches and conveys a recording medium; a moving section that moves the pair of fixing members relative to each other in a direction in which the pair of fixing members are brought into pressure-contact with each other or in a direction opposite thereto; a detector that detects rotational torque for rotating any one of the pair of fixing members; and a control section that controls the moving section such that the pair of fixing members are moved relative to each other corresponding to the detected rotational torque.

Abstract: In an example, an apparatus is described that includes a photosensitive imaging plate, an intermediate transfer member, and a heating unit. The photosensitive imaging plate attracts a layer of printing fluid. The intermediate transfer member contacts the photosensitive imaging plate and receives the layer of printing fluid from the photosensitive imaging plate. The heating unit includes an array of individually addressable heating elements and heats the intermediate transfer member in a manner that is spatially selective along two axes: a first axis in a direction of a width of the intermediate transfer member and a second axis in a direction of a rotation of the intermediate transfer member.

Abstract: In one example of the disclosure, a print agent is applied upon a length of web substrate. A dryer is utilized to dry the web substrate length. Moisture is applied to the web substrate length. The moisturized web substrate length is wound upon a spool to form a top liner length, with no dryer to be utilized to dry the web substrate length between the moisture application and the winding.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming portion, a heating portion, a discharging portion, a cooling portion, and a controller. A toner amount per predetermined sheet area of a toner image formed on a sheet is a toner image density. A first toner image does not have regions where the toner image density is a predetermined first density or more, and when the first toner image is formed on the sheet, the controller executes an operation in a first mode. A second toner image includes the region, and when the second toner image is formed on the sheet, the controller executes an operation in a second mode higher in cooling power than the first mode irrespective of a toner amount of the second toner image over entirety of the sheet.

Abstract: An image post-processing method includes a glossiness control step of irradiating a fixed toner image with a glossiness control light. The toner image is formed with a toner containing a compound that absorbs light. The glossiness control light is capable of at least reducing a glossiness of the fixed toner image. The glossiness control light has a maximum emission wavelength in a wavelength region which is absorbed by the compound.

Abstract: There is disclosed an image post-processing method for adjusting glossiness of a fixed toner image. The method includes a glossiness control step and a temperature control step. The glossiness control step is a step of, to a toner image formed of a toner containing a light absorbing compound and fixed to a recording medium, emitting glossiness control light so as to reduce or increase glossiness of the toner image. The temperature control step is a step of heating the toner image immediately before the light is emitted to the toner image such that the toner image has a surface temperature which is at least 20° C. lower than a softening temperature of the toner. The glossiness control light has a maximum emission wavelength in a wavelength range in which the compound absorbs light and is made to at least reduce the glossiness of the toner image.

Abstract: A device for processing a strip guided along a running direction may include a roller holder disposed on a base frame so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis oriented substantially parallel to a strip running surface. A first processing roller may be disposed on the roller holder in the running direction and at a distance from the pivot axis perpendicular to the running direction and offset from the pivot axis such that by pivoting the roller holder, the first processing roller is moved toward the strip and the processing roller is moved away from the strip. A first counter-processing roller may be disposed transversely to the running direction at a further distance from the pivot axis than the first processing roller such that the first processing and counter-processing rollers interact to guide the strip if the first processing roller is moved toward the strip.

Abstract: An imaging system includes a substrate cooler that reduces the temperature of substrates bearing dried ink images. The substrate cooler has a plurality of rollers, at least one actuator operatively connected to the plurality of rollers, and a controller operatively connected to the least one actuator. The controller is configured to operate the at least one actuator to move the rollers relative to one another to vary the length of the path along which the substrates move through the substrate cooler.

Abstract: An image decoloring apparatus includes a reader configured to read an image on a sheet to acquire image data, a storage section configured to store the image data acquired by the reader, and a first heater configured to heat the sheet. The apparatus further includes a difference extractor configured to extract difference image data based on first image data read from the sheet before it is heated by the first heater and second image data read from the sheet after it is heated by the first heater. The apparatus additionally includes a setting section configured to set a password required to access the difference image data.

Abstract: An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet, and a finisher that performs a post-printing process with the sheet. The image forming system comprises: a paper path through which the sheet is passed; an electricity eliminator that is arranged in the upstream side of the finisher to apply at least one agent of water and charge to the sheet; and a hardware processor that controls an application amount of the agent to be applied to the sheet by the electricity eliminator based on an amount of charge which is generated on the sheet when the sheet is passing through the paper path.

Abstract: The invention provides for a reduction in the period of time necessary for recycling a separator winding core around which a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery separator is wound. The separator winding core is described by the Munsell color system as (i) a lightness of not less than 3.0 but not more than 9.2 and (ii) a chroma of not less than 0.5.

Abstract: An image forming device includes: a fixing unit that fixes an image formed on a recording medium; a heating unit that heats a recording medium that has been subjected to a fixing process by the fixing unit; and a controller that sets a glossiness of an image on a recording medium, wherein the controller controls a heating amount with the heating unit depending on the set glossiness.

Abstract: An electrophotographic imager includes a photoconductive element, a charger, and a light source to expose areas of a charged surface of the photoconductive element to form a latent image. A development element is coupled relative to the photoconductive element to develop, via charged marking agent, the latent image on the photoconductive element. An exposure adjustment factor is selectively applied, prior to the exposing, to a first printable area of the latent image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment includes an image acquisition unit, a heating unit, a presence-or-absence-of-an-image determination unit, an image formation unit, a determination unit, and a heating control unit. The image acquisition unit reads an image on a sheet. The heating unit heats the sheet. Based on the image that is read by the image acquisition unit, the presence-or-absence-of-an-image determination unit determines whether the image is printed on the sheet. The image formation unit forms the image on the sheet using a decolorable toner that is decolorized by heating the sheet to a prescribed temperature and a non-decolorable toner that is not decolorized although the sheet is heated. The determination unit determines whether to supply power to the heating unit, depending on an instruction which the decolorable toner is decolorized and on determination by the presence-or-absence-of-an-image determination unit whether the image is printed on the sheet.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording medium using a plurality of decolorable coloring materials having different decoloring conditions. Further, the image forming apparatus forms a mark relating to authority information indicating authority capable of decoloring one of the plurality of decolorable coloring materials for each of the decolorable coloring materials on the recording medium. Further, in another embodiment, a decoloring apparatus grasps the authority information, and decolors the image of the decolorable coloring material, in accordance with the grasped authority information.

Abstract: A cooling device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes first and second conveying belts facing each other to hold and convey a recording medium therebetween, a first cooling body in contact with the first conveying belt to cool the recording medium, a second cooling body in contact with the second conveying belt to cool the recording medium, a heat dissipating body to dissipate heat of each cooling medium absorbed from the first and second cooling bodies, a cooling medium entering passage to flow each cooling medium from the heat dissipating body toward respective inlets of the first and second cooling bodies, and a cooling medium exiting passage to merge each cooling medium discharged from respective outlets of the first and second cooling bodies and flow the merged cooling medium to the heat dissipating body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first image forming unit that forms an image by using first toner; a second image forming unit that forms an image by using another kind of toner different from the first toner; a transfer unit that transfers the images formed by the first image forming unit and the second image forming unit onto an intermediate transfer body and then onto a recording medium; and a setting unit that sets an order of the images that are transferred onto the intermediate transfer body so that the image formed from the other kind of toner is transferred onto an independent image formed from the first toner transferred onto the intermediate transfer body in a case where the independent image formed from the first toner is to be formed on the recording medium.

Abstract: This document describes systems, methods, devices, and other techniques for video camera self-calibration based on video information received from the video camera. In some implementations, a computing device receives video information characterizing a video showing a scene from a field of view of a video camera; detects an object that appears in the scene of the video; identifies a visual marking that appears on the detected object; determines a particular visual marking among a plurality of pre-defined visual markings that matches the visual marking that appears on the detected object; identifies one or more object characteristics associated with the particular visual marking; evaluates one or more features of the video with respect to the one or more object characteristics; and based on a result of evaluating the one or more features of the video with respect to the one or more object characteristics, sets a parameter of the video camera.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first image forming part that forms an image on one surface of a recording material; and a second image forming part provided at an upper side of the first image forming part in a gravitational direction, the second image forming part that transports the recording material received from the first image forming part such that the one surface faces downward in the gravitational direction and that forms an image on the one surface from a lower side in the gravitational direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image by arranging powder on a surface of a layer of a resin image formed of a recording medium and a thermoplastic resin layer arranged thereon, includes: a powder supplying device that supplies the powder to the surface of the layer of the resin image; a hardware processor that sets a rubbing condition of the resin image in accordance with an image to be formed; and a rubbing device that rubs the resin image, which is adjusted to a temperature at which the layer of the resin image is softened or higher to which the powder is supplied from a side of the layer of the resin image according to the set rubbing condition.

Abstract: A cooling device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes first and second conveying belts facing each other to hold and convey a recording medium therebetween, a first cooling body in contact with the first conveying belt to cool the recording medium, a second cooling body in contact with the second conveying belt to cool the recording medium, a heat dissipating body to dissipate heat of each cooling medium absorbed from the first and second cooling bodies, a cooling medium entering passage to flow each cooling medium from the heat dissipating body toward respective inlets of the first and second cooling bodies, and a cooling medium exiting passage to merge each cooling medium discharged from respective outlets of the first and second cooling bodies and flow the merged cooling medium to the heat dissipating body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to form image layers on a first recording medium and a second recording medium, and including a reception unit that receives a print job, a conveyance unit, an image forming unit, a re-conveyance unit, and a discharge unit. The conveyance unit sequentially conveys recording media to a recording position used to form an image layer on a recording medium. Each time a recording medium is conveyed to the recording position, the image forming unit forms one image layer on the conveyed recording medium based on the print job. The re-conveyance unit re-conveys the same recording media to the recording position. The second recording medium is conveyed to the recording position prior to the first recording medium unless the second recording medium and the first recording media are to receive the same number of image layers. Then, the first recording medium is conveyed to the recording position.

Abstract: A paper humidifier includes a humidifying roller, a water supply roller, a suction roller and an intermediate roller. The humidifying roller comes in contact with a sheet and humidifies the sheet. The water supply roller is in contact with the humidifying roller and transfers water to the humidifying roller. The suction roller is partially dipped into water stored in a water reservoir. The intermediate roller is provided between the water supply roller and the suction roller, and is in contact with the water supply roller and the suction roller respectively. The intermediate roller is located above a liquid level of the water stored in the water reservoir. An outer peripheral surface of the suction roller, which rises out of the water stored in the water reservoir after being dipped in the water, rotates in a direction away from the water supply roller.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, an image processing system includes an image forming unit, a decoloring unit, a storage device, an operation panel and a processor. The storage device stores image data of a plurality of printed materials. The processor forms on a sheet an image based on image data in a page range of the printed material received by the operation panel. The processor determines whether or not images of all pages in the page range have been decolored in a predetermined range after the image formation is executed when the formed image is decolored by the decoloring unit.

Abstract: An image formation system includes a cooling section that cools a sheet in a period after a toner image is fixed on a first surface by a first fixing section and before the toner image is formed on a second surface of the sheet by a second image forming apparatus, and a hardware processor that controls a cooling operation of the cooling section in accordance with a parameter representing a temperature of an image forming section of the second image forming apparatus.