The Role of Print Mode Determination for Classification of Inkjet Printers

The purpose of this paper is to propose an effective method for the classification of inkjet printers. One of the challenges when examining inkjet-printed documents is the variety of print modes that can be used. In this study, 80 different models of inkjet printers were used to print samples in various print modes, which were then examined using a microscope. It was shown that changing print modes resulted in variation of some features in print, such as the increment of paper feed stepping, satellite droplets, halftone algorithm, halftone dot structure, and color configuration. However, the laws that govern this variation can be understood and followed. The author drew a conclusion that print mode determination could contribute to the reliable and efficient classification of inkjet printers, and should be considered as an essential part of the examination.