Inkjet and jetouts. Sanity/reality check?

[Stickman42]

We produce runs of paperback books The insides are printed on our roll-fed Canon/Oce ColorStream inkjet printer. A typical job for us is 400 copies, 6 x 9, 300 pp K/K on 45# groundwood paper. During the run, we see what we consider to be a fair amount of jetouts. This results in white unprinted lines in our pages. When the art is text only, it's barely noticeable. When there HT's, tints, solids, illustrations, etc... the defect is much more noticeable.

We have a protocol for our operators to follow that allows for one jetout per page. Any more than that, they are to stop printing, purge or clean the print heads and continue.

We do have a full service contract on the machine, including the print heads.

We are told that one jetout per head is in spec.

My question - is anyone else running similar equipment? If so, what has been your experience with jetouts? I'm curious if it's something you've learned to live with, and your customers have also? Or is there newer tech that resolves this problem?

I see jetouts in mail pieces I receive, utility bills for example. I have to believe that a book (novel, biography, etc..., not a training manual or financial prospectus) is held to a higher level of quality.

Thanks in advance for your responses.

 

[namelessentity]

Based on my knowledge of that machine, it's not really designed for high quality work. It's made to run generic color for statements and mailings really fast.

I think you'd want to to be running the iX, or a web press for higher end work.

 

[Stickman42]

While the iX is very attractive and has jetout handling tech on board, I need the volume a continuous printer can put out. I run black only, which simplifies thigs somewhat.

I also wouldn't categorize my books as particularly high end. Imagine 300 pages of just regular text, but a title page with a full bleed black background. A white line on that stick out like a sore thumb.