Metrix by LithoTechnics

[Cory Smith]

Anyone using Metrix?

http://www.lithotechnics.com/metrix.html

We still have problems with jobs being estimated based on bad press layouts, usually doesn't get caught until the job hits prepress. Sometimes have to wonder how a job was estimated when it won't physically fit on the sheet

[Doug7]

Cory,

Are your estimators making the same sort of mistakes? It could be a training issue. Or many times the problem isn't so much that the estimator is making a "mistake" as much as upper management is disagreeing with Production about what will and won't fit. That topic can get sticky sometimes.

[T]

I think our shop is going for it. Our planners/estimators are still using pencil and paper and a calculator. Talk about mistakes. Do you like Metrix? It seems very useful.

[Frank Flanagan]

Metrix has really helped our business. The support has been great. Ask for Joel OR Davo. Gre
at guys.

[Pandpinc]

we are currently using the trial, and so far its great.

[stargate]

What's the damage? What's your ROI?

[Pandpinc]

Check out the demo vid on lithotechnics website. The decked out version is 12K (1 dongle license), but there are cheaper options. The software could possibly pay for itself within the first month (depending on your workflow). I work for a package printing shop so this software is perfect for us as far as ganging goes. I haven't used it much for books though.

We bought our trial version from the lady below. It was the cheapest trial i could find. Alot of companies will try to sell you training, but any good prepress operator could set it up easy. I played around with it for a day or so to work out the kinks.

Bernie Bishop
Director of Technology
and New Business Development

A P Graph, Inc.
9605 Girard Avenue South
Bloomington, Mn 55431
952.888.4340 Office
952.698.1069 Direct
651.245.7432 Mobile

[BrianA]

Corey,

We used Metrix for a while. It is great but we are now changing to Davinci which is a lot more intelligent because everything is automatically created straight from the estimate.

We used to have the problem that estimates that were not actually capable of being printed (didn't fir etc) but we don't have the problem anymore - even when non-estimators do the quote.

The trouble is that Davinci is a whole MIS with accounting and everything else so it's probably a lot more expensive than Metrix.

Edited by: Brian B on Jun 23, 2008 10:02 PM

[Ultimate]

Question: when it comes to ganging multiple different sizes on the same sheet, how do you handle cutting & finishing? Do you spend more time there? How complex does it become? Are you factoring the additional costs?

I am curious to know.

Raymond Duval
Ultimate Technographics

[Pandpinc]

Metrix will lay the jobs out (for the most part) so that its easy to cut.

Metrix will also give you a few different layouts to choose from. Thats where you need to have someone with some sense making the decision as to which layout to use. Some layouts will take less time to cut down, but may take a extra sheets.