IMAGE PREPARATION SYSTEM FOR TRANSFER TO SUBSTRATE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the formation of microvoids to a substrate. SOLUTION: A system and a method to apply the controlled total amount of liquid to the movable image carrying member of an electrostatic printing system by using liquid toner before an image is transferred to the substrate are provided. The total amount of applied liquid is controlled by a re-wet roller positioned between a toner station and a transfer station. Then, a distance between the re-wet roller and the movable image carrying member is changed based on the roughness and the porosity of the substrate and the printing quality of the substrate in accordance with the rotational speed and the direction of the re-wet roller. The liquid is directly applied so as to only form the image in the area of the movable image carrying member so that the printing quality is alternatively improved. COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO