Fluid drops provided in print mode and maintenance mode in normal consumption state and low consumption state

A method of operating an image forming apparatus having a normal consumption state and a low consumption state, the method comprising:

• selectively providing a first set of drops of fluid by a fluid applicator unit to perform a printing routine in a print mode;
• selectively providing a second set of drops of fluid by the fluid applicator unit to perform a service routine in a maintenance mode;
• identifying a low fluid condition by a low fluid identification unit based on an amount of fluid detected in a fluid supply and a complete print job parameter;
• alerting a user by an alert unit in response to the low fluid condition identified by the low fluid identification unit;
• and
• selecting a low consumption state of the image forming apparatus in response to the alert of the low fluid condition such that an amount of the first set of drops of fluid to perform the printing routine and an amount of the second set of drops of fluid to perform the service routine is less in the low consumption state than in the normal consumption state.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon for an image forming apparatus to operate in a normal consumption state and a low consumption state, the instructions are executable by a processor to:

• selectively eject a first set of drops of fluid by an inkjet printhead unit to perform a printing routine in a print mode such that the first set of drops of fluid form images on a substrate corresponding to image data;
• selectively eject a second set of drops of fluid by the inkjet printhead unit to perform a service routine in a maintenance mode;
• and
• use less of an amount of the first set of drops of fluid and the second set of drops of fluid by the inkjet printhead unit in the low consumption state than the normal consumption state such that the amount of the first set of drops of fluid in the low consumption state corresponds to the amount of the first set of drops of fluid to perform the printing routine in the normal consumption state reduced by a scale factor to lower a respective contone level for a respective color of the fluid.