An apparatus and method for performing a second toner image fixing on a
toner image on a carrier material includes a second fixing unit in the
carrier material transport path. The second fixing unit is in a burn-in
unit that is spaced by a cooling distance from the printer or copier and
its toner fixing unit. The first fixing unit of the printer or copier
fixes the toner image in a first fixing condition and the second fixing
unit fixes the toner image in a second fixing condition. For printers or
copiers that perform two sided printing and have front and back side
fixing units, the burn-in unit also has front and back side fixing units
for fixing the toner image in the second fixing condition. A controller
may be provided to reduce the heat energy applied to the first fixing
unit in the printer or copier to partially fix the toner image so that
the second fixing unit further fixes the toner image.