A: Metrix is job planning software which automatically
calculates optimal press sheet layouts for bound products,
flat work, and even complex gang run projects. Metrix can
gang up to 160 different products on a single press sheet,
considering such details as grain direction and bleeds. Metrix
creates detailed printed production reports with dimensioned
scale diagrams, and exports industry standard digital files
for integration with prepress workflows and finishing equipment.
2. Q: What kind of printing companies use
Metrix?
A: Metrix is excellent for all commercial sheetfed
printers who wish to benefit from simply and dynamically creating
accurate layouts considering the many job and production factors.
Metrix is also used by screen printers and wide format inkjet
printers who need gang layouts dynamically calculated.
3. Q: I heard that Metrix was only useful
for gang printing.
A: The first versions of Metrix were indeed
created to specifically solve the difficult problem of creating
accurate, quick, and economical gang run layouts. In fact
LithoTechnics received an award
for this ability. Metrix 2.0 (released November, 2006) expanded
the capabilities to fulfill all the needs of a commercial
sheetfed printer by introducing the ability to quickly plan
bound products - both saddle and perfect bound.
4. Q: Why should my company use Metrix?
A: Metrix will quickly pay for itself and continue
to save a company money in several ways:
Planning custom sized jobs requires
the undivided attention of a skilled planner, and complex
layouts can take considerable effort to manually calculate.
Metrix automatically calculates layouts in seconds, saving
potentially thousands of dollars in highly skilled labor
costs every month.
Most companies know theoretically that
money can be saved by ganging different jobs together when
they share common stock and inks, and when artwork availability
and proof approval allow. These variables alone are difficult
enough for most commercial printers to manage, but the skill
and effort required to devise efficient layouts is often
prohibitive. Metrix makes these theoretical profits a practical
reality. While it can't help with getting proofs approved
on time, Metrix takes all the guesswork and complexity out
of ganged layouts, empowering even the least skilled user
to create perfect layouts in seconds.
Metrix can initiate the job planning
process from incoming JDF data generated by an MIS system.
This data can either be manually imported, or Metrix can
be fed this data from a hot folder. Alternatively, Metrix
also supports a much simpler XML-based data format called
Metrix XML, or MXML. This enables integration with even
home-grown MIS or estimating systems.
Metrix can send fully imposed JDF information
with PDF content to output completely imposed plates from
your JDF-enabled prepress system or RIP, bypassing the need
for desktop imposition software and the labor associated
with this otherwise necessary stage. Alternately Metrix
can generate fully imposed PDF impositions which can be
sent to nearly any RIP or output device.
If your company uses Preps® templates
with Preps or as part of a workflow (such as Creo Prinergy®,
Creo Brisque®, or Agfa Apogee®), building Preps
templates can be a time consuming process, especially for
complex ganging layouts with many independent pages. Metrix
will save your prepress operators considerable time and
effort by instantly exporting Preps templates at the click
of a button.
If your company has cutters or folders
that can read CIP3 data, or some stitcher-trimmers that
can read JDF data, Metrix can instantly export the data
required for these devices to automatically makeready, saving
significant time for every job.
The patent pending layout calculator
considers all product bleeds when calculating the optimal
layout. Optimizing for bleeds means Metrix can find ways
to place anywhere up to 50% more product on a sheet when
the product bleeds only three edges, not four. This equates
to saving 50% of the stock, a significant portion of the
cost of an average job!
5. Q: What editions of Metrix are available?
A: Metrix 3.0 is available in four editions:
Metrix
X-8
Metrix
X-80
Metrix
Commercial
Metrix
Max
Feature
Products Allowed For Auto Layout
8
80
16
160
Products Allowed Per Project
50
500
100
2000
Site Licenses Available
No
No
Yes
Yes
Supports Flat, Folded and Bound
Jobs
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Supports Auto Plan
No
Yes
No
Yes
Maximum Sheet Dimension (W
x H)
30"
30"
144"
144"
Prints Reports
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Imports
Imports JDF Product Intent
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Imports JDF ImpositionPreparation
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Imports MetrixXML
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Exports
Exports Imposed PDF
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Exports MetrixXML
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Exports JDF Imposition
No
No
Yes
Yes
Exports Complete JDF
No
No
Yes
Yes
Exports Preps Templates
No
No
Yes
Yes
Exports Cutting Data
No
No
Yes
Yes
Exports Folding Data
No
No
Yes
Yes
Exports Barcoded Imposed PDF
No
No
No
Yes
Metrix Max is for commercial sheetfed
printers looking for a competitive advantage. The new Auto
Plan function calculates the most cost effective way to produce
multiple products across multiple press sheets. It handles
bound work with ease and can accommodate up to 160 unique
flat and folded products per sheet in various ganged configurations.
Metrix Commercial is for commercial sheetfed
printers who produce bound work and will also plan projects
with up to 16 unique flat and folded products in various ganged
configurations.
Metrix X-80 is for commercial printers
with digital or offset presses who produce bound work and
will also plan projects with up to 80 unique flat and folded
products per sheet in various ganged configurations. The new
Auto Plan function will calculate the most cost effective
way to produce multiple products across multiple press sheets.
It is limited to press sheets up to 30" x 30" and
can only export impositions as PDF, not JDF.
Metrix X-8 is for commercial printers
with digital or offset presses who produce bound work and
may also plan projects with up to 8 unique flat and folded
products per sheet. It is limited to press sheets up to 30"
x 30" and can only export impositions as PDF, not JDF.
6. Q. Is it possible for companies to license
more than one edition?
A: Yes. It may be cost-effective for a company
to have, for example, a 5 concurrent user license of Metrix
Commercial that satisfies the majority of their work, and
a single copy of Metrix Max for those occasional projects
that would exceed the ganging capabilities of Metrix Commercial.
7. Q: How much training does Metrix require?
A: Metrix requires very little or no training
because its patent pending layout engine completely automates
the most complex parts of the layout process. The user interface
is very discoverable and easy to understand. Ease of use for
the operator is the foundation Metrix was built upon. Metrix
also allows the user to undo and redo every action within
the program up to twenty levels deep. This means that a new
user has nothing to fear when experimenting with unfamiliar
features.
Training is certainly available and can
be easily accomplished via the internet with a typical training
session lasting 4 hours.
8. Q: Where can I buy Metrix?
A: Metrix is available directly from LithoTechnics (contact us),
or through one of our partners.
9. Q: Can I try Metrix before deciding to
purchase?
A: Yes. Evaluation licenses are available for
a small fee that is refunded against the purchase price if
you purchase within 60 days. To order an evaluation license contact us,
or contact one of our partners.
10. Q: How does Metrix compare to Kodak's
production planning product UpFront®?
A: A simple description of
how UpFront works is that the user builds a database library
of layout templates that can be used to plan jobs. All jobs
must find matching layouts in the database before the job
can be completed. Any changes to a job require the operator
to either edit an existing layout or start over creating a
new one, depending on the significance of the change. In contrast
Metrix can dynamically create layouts without any need for
one to exist in the database.
In our opinion the UpFront approach has merit
if the user predominately plans jobs that match previously
created, standardized layouts. In this case the time required
to build each layout may be justified because each layout
will be used frequently. Metrix also has the ability to save
standard layouts for re-use, but has the significant advantage
that the original standard layout can be created automatically
and can easily be altered within the same user-interface,
that is, without changing to a different program to make changes.
Metrix also enables layouts to be used as a
"one-off", without having to be saved into the database.
The most obvious example of the strength of this approach
is most gang run layouts, where no layout will ever be used
twice. There is absolutely no advantage to most gang run layouts
being stored as a database template.
For commercial printers whose work mix is diverse
and customized we believe Metrix's dynamic layout calculator
is a much better solution. For example, we have spoken to
UpFront users who after years of using UpFront are still frequently
building new layouts into the database, some requiring considerable
effort. Metrix on the other hand, instantly calculates the
optimal layout for each new job considering all that job's
unique product specifications - finished size, bleeds, grain
direction, required quantity, etc.
We have other opinions about the ease
of use of Metrix compared to UpFront, the flexibility of each
(try doing even a simple gang run layout in UpFront), and
the overall cost of ownership of Metrix compared to UpFront.
We strongly suggest interested customers get a demonstration
of both products. We have a web
page suggesting some questions customers should ask when
comparing Metrix to UpFront, or indeed when comparing Metrix
to desktop imposition products too.
11. Q: Can I program Metrix with my company's
press specifications?
A: Yes. The documentation that comes with Metrix
takes the user through the steps to add any number of presses
to the database, each with their particular specifications.
12. Q: Can we add our own folds to the Metrix
database?
A: Yes. By default the Metrix database contains
more than 80 folding schemes from the JDF fold catalogue.
If a user requires a custom fold they can easily add it to
the database using the New Fold Wizard which guides them step-by-step
through creating the new fold.
13. Q: Can our operators modify the layouts
that Metrix calculates?
A: Yes. Metrix 3.0 has all the manual layout
editing capabilities you would expect - drag-n-drop, step
and repeat, center across sheet, aligning and butting selected
product instances, etc. The user interface is intuitive and
very simple to learn.
Furthermore, the Status view area of the Metrix
user interface displays the status of all the rules that the
layout engine adheres to, such as ensuring a product's bleed
area remains inside the imageable area of the press. Every
time the user edits a layout these rules are automatically
double checked and the user is instantly notified of any errors.
In this way, users can manually edit layouts quickly and easily,
assured that their project will work on the press and in the
bindery.
14. Q: Does Metrix also handle diecut shapes?
A: Metrix treats all products as rectangles
and automatically calculates layouts on this basis. However,
Metrix does allow users to manually overlap or nest product
instances however they wish. To help manually position nested
non-rectangular products Metrix allows users to specify a
low resolution graphic file (jpeg, gif, or png) to be displayed
within a product page, and also allows the image's background
color to be rendered transparently so users can see through
overlapping areas.
15. Q: Does Metrix calculate layouts for
web press signatures?
A: No, not at this time. Metrix can accommodate
most of the requirements of web press work, but does not yet
consider more than one ribbon per layout. Metrix also does
not enforce or consider the web cutoff variable. In light
of this even though Metrix would probably satisfy some web
printers we hesitate to claim its suitability for this environment
as a whole.
16. Q: Can Metrix be licensed for multiple
users?
A: Yes. Metrix can be licensed for either standalone
or a multi-user configuration. The multi-user version ships
with a minimal administration SQL database server for sharing
data. Metrix may also have it's licensing managed by the Metrix
License Server. With the Metrix License Server a company can
install Metrix on any number of PC's within a site and the
License Server controls the number of concurrent copies of
Metrix running at any one time. This is a very cost effective
way of running Metrix when multiple users need access to it
but not all simultaneously.
17. Q: Does Metrix employ open standards
such as JDF?
A: Yes, LithoTechnics has a full member of the
CIP4 Organization for several years and imports and exports
data in standard JDF and CIP3 PPF formats.
18. Q: Can Metrix integrate with my management
information system?
A: LithoTechnics is a full member of the CIP4
Organization, and all editions of Metrix can import product
descriptions from supporting MIS systems in the open JDF format.
Alternately Metrix can accept job data in our own XML-based
format called Metrix XML, or MXML. This is a very targeted,
simplified format that is more realistic to implement in the
context of a company's in-house-developed estimation software.
Metrix 3.0 can also import job descriptions for flat products
in comma separated (CSV) format from applications such as
Microsoft Excel®.
19. Q: Does Metrix integrate with any of
my prepress systems?
A: Metrix Commercial and Max editions export
both populated or unpopulated (with our without PDF content)
JDF Imposition tickets for prepress. This data allows Metrix
to integrate with a wide range of prepress workflows, saving
prepress operators considerable time building complex imposition
templates, and reducing the risk of data entry errors. Metrix
is designed so that once the operator has created the job
plan with Metrix, the desktop imposition stage is un-necessary.
The JDF data from Metrix goes straight into the prepress workflow,
regardless of whether it's a fully managed workflow, or a
simple RIP and output workflow.
Even if the system cannot accept JDF, Metrix
can create fully imposed PDF impositions that can be sent
to nearly any RIP or output device. The two Metrix X editions
are limited to exporting projects as PDF impositions only.
JDF imposition files with PDF content exported
by Metrix have been successfully tested with the following
prepress systems and RIPs:
Agfa :ApogeeX 2.5
Artwork Systems Odystar 2.0.3
DALiM MiSTRAL 2.1
EskoGraphics Backstage 3.0
FujiFilm Celebrant 6.03
FujiFilm XMF
Global Graphics Harlequin Genesis
RIP (with JDF Enabler)
Heidelberg Printready 2.1 SP3
Kodak/Creo Prinergy 3.0 &
4.0
Kodak/Creo Evo 3.1
OneVision JDF Impose 1.0
Rampage
Screen TrueFlow 3.10 TF020
Xitron Xenith 4PDF
Xitron Xenith Extreme 6.03
20. Q: Does Metrix integrate with any of
my postpress systems?
A: Metrix can export CIP3 PPF and JDF data for
cutters and folders. Metrix can also export JDF data specific
for Horizon stitching equipment. This data eliminates manual
equipment setup, saving bindery operators' valuable time and
reducing errors.
21. Q: Does the ability to import or export
JDF and CIP3 data cost extra?
A: No. These features are included in the cost
of Metrix for the editions capable of these exports.
22. Q: Can Metrix integrate with my existing
Microsoft SQL Server database for storing projects and settings?
A: Metrix ships with its own database, but can
also connect to a Microsoft SQL Server database.
23. Q: What platforms does Metrix run on?
A: Metrix runs on the following platforms: Microsoft®
Windows XP® Professional, Microsoft® Windows 2003
Server (R1), Microsoft® Windows Vista®, Citrix®
MetaFrame®, Mac OS X 10.4, or Mac OS X 10.5. If your company
is interested in running Metrix on another platform please
contact LithoTechnics.
24. Q: What hardware does Metrix require?
A: For Microsoft® Windows, Metrix requires
an Intel® compatible PC with at least a 1 GHz processor,
and a minimum of 512Mb of RAM for Metrix (plus whatever is
required for the operating system and any other concurrent
applications).
For Mac OS X, Metrix requires an Intel®
Core 2 Duo processor, or a fast PowerPC processor, and a minimum
of 512Mb of RAM for Metrix (plus whatever is required for
the operating system and any other concurrent applications).
The security dongle requires a USB port.
25. Q: What languages is Metrix available
in?
A: Metrix 3.0 is available in English, German,
Spanish, and French. If your company is interested in using
Metrix with another language please contact LithoTechnics.