| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus that effectively utilizes consumable parts Wa,Wb,Wc,Wz according to their actual service lives and has reduced downtime and/or reduced cost burden on a user. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus includes a plurality of exchangeable consumable parts Wa,Wb,Wc,Wz which are consumed through repeated image forming operations. Deterioration detection means is included in the image forming apparatus for detecting the level of deterioration of least one consumable part Wz among the plurality of consumable parts Wa,Wb,Wc,Wz. Then, by comparing the time for replacement Ez for the first consumable part Wz obtained from the detection result from the deterioration detection means with those for the other consumption parts Wa,Wb,Wc, a second consumable part Wc with the time for replacement L that is closest to the first consumption part Wz is selected from the other consumption parts Wa,Wb,Wc. The time for replacement Ez of the first consumption part Wz is extended by varying the process condition to match the time for replacement of the second consumption part Wc. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&INPIT |
