Phoenix, Arizona, October 21, 2008 - LithoTechnics,
developer of Metrix, award-winning, intelligent job planning
and imposition system, announced today their Graph Expo lineup
will feature Metrix 3.5, premiering Auto Bleeds – automatic
clipping of bleeds on the inside edges of butting products
– along with support for Jog to Foot (Low Folio Lap)
and Right-hand Spines. JDF connectivity has been enhanced
for Metrix 3.5 – streamlining the JDF workflow between
Metrix and Screen TrueFlow, and enabling JDF binding instructions
for saddle-stitchers and perfect binders.
US and Australian representatives of LithoTechnics
will be demonstrating Metrix in Booth 5132, located in the
PrePress area of the show.
Rohan Holt, President of LithoTechnics, said,
“We are proud to introduce more milestone innovations
in Metrix 3.5 – automatic clipping of interior bleeds
on command, without affecting the exterior bleeds of adjoining
products. Version 3.5 also introduces support for ‘jog
to foot’ or ‘low folio lap’ books, completely
automating the conversion to or from ‘jog to head’
even for complex books with flaps on pages or exotic folds.”
Holt continued, “Metrix 3.5 also automatically handles
right spine books, providing the same ease of use as for left
spine books.” Holt concluded, “Metrix 3.5 takes
our JDF compatibility a notch higher by introducing JDF export
to stitchers and perfect binders. Metrix has imported and
exported JDF since version 1.0, and the capability to configure
binding machines provides our customers yet more production
automation, so important in today’s environment of intense
competition and challenging business conditions.”
Markus Schluep, Muller Martini Project Manager,
remarked: “The largest obstacle to full bindery JDF integration
has been the lack of an ‘agent’ to write Job Definition
Format (JDF) files that include bindery specifications for
cutting, folding, saddle stitching and perfect binding. LithoTechnics’
Metrix software allows printers to conquer this hurdle. The
geometry that is already entered into Metrix, including trim
size, laps, head trim, offsets, etc, can easily be exported
as standard CIP4 JDF. These JDF job tickets can be read by
our saddle stitchers and perfect binders, and save significant
set up time. This process also ensures that the machine is
set up to the exact dimensions that were used to paginate,
proof, print, cut and fold the signatures. Redundancy in data
entry is eliminated, steps in the make-ready process are reduced,
and mistakes are a thing of the past. This is precisely the
workflow that many bindery managers have been looking for.”
Mr. Schluep concluded by saying, “LithoTechnics has allowed
the binding industry to achieve a new technology milestone,
and we applaud their accomplishment.”
The Metrix family includes Metrix Commercial,
Metrix Max, Metrix X-8 and Metrix X-80, targeted at different
segments of the commercial print market. All editions are
available on Mac OS X and Windows, and all automatically plan
and impose flat, folded, and bound work. All editions can
import JDF and export imposed PDF. Select editions include
Auto Plan, and export various forms of JDF for prepress and
finishing. The entire Metrix family is available in English,
German, Spanish, and French.
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. Metrix, LithoTechnics'
flagship product, received the prestigious 2005 PIA/GATF InterTech™
Technology Award, recognized industry-wide as a symbol of
technological innovation and excellence. With offices in Phoenix,
Arizona, and 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.
