Chicago, IL - LithoTechnics, Inc., developer of Metrix, the intelligent, automated job planning and imposition system, announced recently that one of its technical partners, Streamline Solutions, had added two-way integration with Metrix to its PrintStream product.
 
Two-way Metrix integration enables PrintStream users to enter print specs in just one place and pass the information back and forward between PrintStream and Metrix. This is of tremendous value, especially when users are ganging various jobs in Metrix - with two-way integration they will be able to pass the planning information back into PrintStream - enabling, for instance, costing analysis to be updated based on the actual production data generated by Metrix. This development is significant for non-ganging scenarios as well - for example when the Metrix operator has to re-plan based on press availability. With two-way integration, the new plan can now be communicated back to PrintStream for re-costing, ensuring that the MIS data is up to date and correct.
 
John Rafner, Vice President Sales & Marketing, Streamline Solutions, said, "This integration provides our mutual customers with a highly efficient workflow that leverages the unique capabilities and strengths of both PrintStream and Metrix. It allows the Metrix planning information to be sent back and centralized within PrintStream, but it also synchronizes press, ink, and paper specs between the two systems." Rafner concluded, "We are very pleased to be working with LithoTechnics and look forward to more integration in the future."
 
Rohan Holt, President of LithoTechnics, added: "This development will have far-reaching benefits for our mutual customers, but more than that, it represents quite a leap in print production automation. Many systems send data in one direction. But what happens when something changes downstream? How does the information get back upstream? This is why LithoTechnics has been promoting the necessity of two-way integration between Metrix and the MIS world, and why we are especially pleased to see PrintStream's Metrix extension."