| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a consumable management system that can accurately predict a timing to replace replaceable consumables attached to a plurality of image forming apparatuses.SOLUTION: A plurality of image forming apparatuses constituting a management system each have: prediction means for predicting a replacement timing on the basis of a threshold and information on prediction of a reduction of the remaining amount of consumables; correction means for extending the timing to replace the consumables; and transmission means for transmitting, to a management device, information on use of the image forming apparatuses and the length of extension of the corrected replacement time. The management device constituting the management system includes: classification means for classifying the plurality of image forming apparatuses into a plurality of apparatus groups classified according to the information on use of the image forming apparatuses; and totaling management means for totaling the lengths of extension of the replacement timings of the image forming apparatuses for each of the classified apparatus groups to manage as a totaled extension length for each of the apparatus groups. The correction means calculates, as a final extention length, a value in which the length of extension during the correction immediately before the replacement timing is reached and the totaled extension length for each of the apparatus groups are summed up at a predetermined ratio; the prediction means predicts the replacement timing of the consumables by adding all correction amounts including the final extension length corrected by the correction means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3 |
