Gent, Belgium – December 9, 2003 – Esko-Graphics announces ArtiosCAD Mac and PC plug-ins for Adobe Illustrator, ensuring the streamlined integration of CAD with graphic design files in the prepress workflow. Until now, an EPS file had to be exported from ArtiosCAD and opened in Adobe Illustrator. The free plug-in allows users to open or place native ArtiosCAD files into Adobe Illustrator without any file conversion. After opening an ArtiosCAD design, the ArtiosCAD structure and properties are kept and placed in a separate working layer. Esko-Graphics’ ArtiosCAD is the industry’s most popular computer aided packaging design (CAD) software. ArtiosCAD provides structural designers a tool for conceptual design, product development, and “live” prototypes. It provides users with an extensive library of resizable packaging designs, or they can create their own packaging designs from scratch. ArtiosCAD is the ideal tool for packaging and folding carton designers. Esko-Graphics implemented some helpful features to its plug-in, assuring that files developed within Illustrator are as productive as possible. For example, a time stamp is embedded in the file so that Illustrator can automatically update its CAD layer when the original CAD file is edited. The different CAD line styles (cuts, creases, bleed) are translated to custom colors. All CAD line styles such as creases, annotations and die board cuts – among many others – are supported, and viewable, within Adobe Illustrator. Along with the plug-in, a dedicated alignment tool assists the user in snapping graphical elements to specific CAD objects and lines. Because ArtiosCAD files contain folding angles and animation, Esko-Graphics applications are able to produce accurately folded and animated 3-D models in conjunction with the design application. An additional, optional Mac plug-in can be purchased to extract varnish information and automatically create a varnish separation. ArtiosCAD complements other packaging design tools, such as Adobe Illustrator, DeskPack, and FastLane for Packaging components Plato, PackEdge, and BackStage. “Packaging workflows encompass both graphic as well as structural design elements. It is imperative that there is seamless communication between both facets of this workflow,” comments Susie Stitzel, Product Manager ArtiosCAD. “For example, it is important that prepress files are checked against a cutting die, to produce a layout that matches the die-cut. Integrating the structural design by applying the native CAD files within Adobe Illustrator – and instantly updated after any design changes – will lead to significant reduction in errors, lead-time and cost.” The ArtiosCAD plug-in is available as a downloaded file from the Esko-Graphics web site www.esko-graphics.com/ep/downloads.asp