Print-on-demand provider leverages system to launch one-book-at-a-time color solution.

Oce, a Canon Group company and an international leader in digital document management, today announced that print provider Ingram Content Group has installed the Oce ColorStream 3500 inkjet printing system in its print-on-demand unit, Lightning Source.

The new system has opened up new opportunities for Tennessee-based Lightning Source, allowing a whole new range of book titles to be quickly printed and distributed around the world.

"By combining Ingram's leading print-on-demand solutions with the newest inkjet technology from Oce, Lightning Source is the first to develop an affordable one-book-at-a-time color solution," said Jeff Royer, Vice President of Manufacturing, Lightning Source Inc. "It broadens the scope of print-on-demand to more titles, and drives sales and cost savings for publishers."

High-speed color inkjet printing offers a real opportunity for publishers looking for more efficiency in book manufacturing as well as digital book printers that want to expand their offerings and grow their business," said Francis A. McMahon, Vice President, Marketing, Production Printing Systems division of Oce North America, a Canon Group company. "With the Oce ColorStream 3500 system, Lightning Source is extending their capabilities and delivering more options to book publishers through high-speed, full-color inkjet printing."

"We are pleased to work with Oce in this significant development effort," said Royer. "It will ultimately help more books reach more readers worldwide, which is one of our primary goals at Ingram."

About the Oce ColorStream 3000 Series Inkjet Printing Systems

The Oce ColorStream 3500 inkjet printing system was unveiled at Canon Expo in Tokyo in November 2010. The series was then expanded in May 2012 at Drupa in Duseldorf, Germany with the announcement of three additional models. The high-speed, high-quality, full-color inkjet printers simplify the transition from monochrome to full-color or even five or six colors. They offer productivity and flexibility for high-speed color and monochrome production of transaction, transpromo, direct mail, book and manual applications. Industry-leading reliability, print quality and media range are testaments to Oce DigiDot multilevel dot modulation technology.

The Oce ColorStream 3000 series includes the entry level Oce ColorStream 3200 system printing at 157 feet per minute with a maximum print width of 17", the Oce ColorStream 3500system which prints at 246 feet per minute with a maximum print width of 21.25", the Oce ColorStream 3700 system at 328 feet per minute with a maximum print width of 21.25", and finally the high speed Oce ColorStream 3900 system which prints at 417 feet per minute with a maximum print width of 21.25". That translates to a range of 344 letter images per minute for a single unit to 1818 letter images per minute for a twin configuration – all at high-resolution, vivid full-color, and maximum monthly print volumes ranging from 10 million to 56 million letter images.

Enhanced usability and productivity is made possible by a combination of unique features:

• HeadSafe technology helps prevent nozzle clogging and minimizes lengthy purging processes. The ability to transition between monochrome-only and full-color printing promotes higher uptime and productivity levels.
• Using passive RFID technology, the Oce InkSafe feature monitors both the proper placement of the ink containers in the press and the ink's shelf-life.
• The ability to print at varying speeds during ramp-up acceleration and ramp-down deceleration and to fully stop and restart without blank pages, increases operational efficiency, decreases turn-around time, and greatly reduces paper waste.

The Oce ColorStream 3000 series inkjet printing systems provide a modular offering in various single and twin configurations from monochrome to full-color up to six color including MICR and Spot colors. The production and media flexibility contribute to forward looking solutions that simplify the transition of applications and business models to more sophisticated documents with variable personalization and smarter communication in color.