Method of maintaining print quality of an inkjet printer

摘要

An inkjet printer of a type that includes a microelectromechanical printhead having a plurality of ink ejection nozzles is susceptible to variations in print quality due to drift in a range of parameters including ink viscosity. A method is provided that involves monitoring various printhead operational parameters and altering firing pulses that are applied to the printhead in a compensatory manner. In one embodiment the method involves monitoring changes in printhead temperature and, in the event of the printhead temperature being less than a predetermined threshold, applying heating pulses. The heating pulses are of sufficient energy to cause heating of the printhead but are insufficient to cause ink ejection.