Systems and methods for reducing drop placement error during narrow media printing on inkjet systems

An inkjet printing system comprising:

• a media transport system configured to move a print media substrate through a printing zone of the inkjet printing system in a process direction;
• two or more inkjet printheads disposed above the media transport system, wherein the two or more inkjet printheads are staggered in a cross-process direction covering a printing width of the printing zone, and wherein each inkjet printhead comprises a plurality of inkjets configured to eject ink droplets onto the print media substrate moving through the printing zone;
• a print engine comprising one or more processors and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the inkjet printing system to perform the following operations:
• receive a print job to be completed by the inkjet printing system, wherein the print job comprises print job attributes including a cross-process print job width and an image content, and wherein the cross-process print job width is less than the printing width of the printing zone such that the two or more inkjet printheads comprise a fully printing printhead and a partially printing printhead, the partially printing printhead having a printing region and a non-printing region;
• determine a first level of inkjet usage in the printing region of the partially printing printhead based on the image content of the print job to be completed;
• determine a second level of inkjet usage in an outboard region of the fully printing printhead based on the image content of the print job to be completed;
• and
• generate a recommended orientation for the print job to be completed based on a comparison of the first level of inkjet usage and the second level of inkjet usage.