LithoTechnics announces Metrix™ - the
first automatic layout calculator for commercial printers.
See Metrix at Drupa, in the JDF Park, Hall 4, Stand A33.
Sydney, Australia, April 19, 2004 - LithoTechnics
Pty Limited (www.lithotechnics.com) today announced the imminent
release of their new product - Metrix. Metrix is the first
truly automatic layout calculator designed specifically for
estimators, customer service representatives, production planners,
and prepress operators.
Metrix employs a print industry specific, patent
pending algorithm, which considers all necessary parameters
to automatically calculate optimum press sheet layouts. Metrix
can integrate with MIS systems by importing JDF (Job Definition
Format) product intent data. The Metrix Production Edition
also exports JDF, CIP3, and Preps® template files to eliminate
the manual creation of Preps templates in prepress, and to
automate the setup of cutters and folding machines in the
finishing department.
Metrix promises commercial printers amazing
bottom-line savings by facilitating commonly known, but under-utilized
cost saving strategies such as gang printing. "Gang printing
is a real opportunity for commercial printers to increase
profits," says Rohan Holt, LithoTechnics founder, "because
every ganged job saves one or more press makereadies, as well
as plates. Until now many companies have passed up this opportunity,
because the layouts for such work are so complex."
Printers who only print standard sized magazines
and books etc, can have layouts so standardized they become
memorized. General commercial printers however, are always
printing different sized jobs, as every job can be unique.
This kind of work requires the undivided attention of a skilled
planner, but even the most experienced planner cannot be sure
they have found the most efficient layout every time. Any
attempt to minimize wastage by considering individual product
bleeds, butting together non-bleeding edges and/or gripping
into non-image areas, can result in spending a whole day on
a trial-and-error exercise in frustration. The average commercial
printer brushes off the potential benefits of ganging because
of the overwhelming complexities.
This is where Metrix comes in. Metrix eliminates
these complexities, enabling even the least skilled planner
to confidently create instant layouts. From one product to
ten, different sizes and quantities, mixtures of flat and
folded work, each with different bleeds and grain direction
requirements - Metrix calculates the layout at the click of
a button.
Metrix minimizes stock wastage, placing as much
product onto a press sheet as possible, considering the press's
capabilities and product specifications such as grain direction.
Metrix will rotate products to share common bleed gutters
or to butt non-bleeding edges together. This also reduces
the number of postpress cuts required, and therefore execution
time downstream in the finishing department.
Metrix will be demonstrated at Drupa in the
JDF Park, Hall 4, Stand A33. Among other things, visitors
will witness JDF product intent data exported from the Optimus
2020 print management system, imported into Metrix for instant
layout calculation. Metrix will then export JDF layout data
and Preps templates for prepress, together with JDF and CIP3
cutting and folding data for postpress.
About LithoTechnics
LithoTechnics is a privately held company founded in 2003
by Rohan Holt. Holt is the original inventor of SuperImpose™,
the product that was adapted and renamed UpFront® when
it was acquired by ScenicSoft in 1999. Based south of Sydney,
Australia, LithoTechnics is a software company focused on
providing key tools and technologies to enable print workflow
automation. LithoTechnics is a full member of the CIP4 Organization.
For more information visit http://www.lithotechnics.com.
