Patent ID: 7029188

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: a printer that transports sheet members supplied at preset sheet supply intervals at a predetermined first transport speed and performs image printing on the sheet members; and a processor that transports the sheet members subjected to the image printing at a predetermined second transport speed and performs development processing on the sheet members subjected to the image printing, and outputs the sheet members subjected to the development processing, wherein: said printer includes: a distributor that distributes the sheet members into plural lines to transport the distributed sheet members in the plural lines in accordance with a sheet output amount per unit time required by said image forming apparatus, while transporting the sheet members at the first transport speed, said distributor being replaceable and having a distribution processing capacity corresponding with the sheet output amount; and a control section that controls in accordance with the sheet output amount at least one of the sheet supply intervals for the sheet members transported at the first transport speed and a sheet distribution speed at which the sheet members are distributed while being transported at the first transport speed when said distributor is capable of adjusting the sheet distribution speed.