Printing apparatus and management method

Abstract

A technique provided herein makes it possible to select a measurement place to be adjusted from a plurality of measurement places in a printing apparatus if a misregistration amount deviates from a permissible range. The printing apparatus comprises a controller including a detection part, a causality search part, and a selection part. The detection part detects the amount of mutual misalignment between inks ejected from a plurality of heads to a surface of a base material on the basis of a captured image acquired from a camera. The causality search part acquires measured values from a plurality of sensors and acquires the misalignment amount from the detection part. The causality search part estimates a causal relationship between observed variables using a plurality of the measured values and the misalignment amount as the observed variables and using a statistical causality search program, and calculates a strength of the causal relationship between the observed variables. The selection part selects a measurement place to be adjusted on the basis of a plurality of the strengths if the misalignment amount deviates from a permissible range.