Press Releases
2026
Xitron Expands the K2 Workflow Family with New K2D-X for Digital Print Production and K2 3.0
Workflow without vendor boundaries to be shown at Printing United
ANN ARBOR, MI – September 2, 2026 – Xitron, a subsidiary of Hybrid Software Group and the developer of Harlequin-based Navigator RIP and workflow products for commercial, flexo, screen, digital, and high-speed inkjet printing, today announced the expansion of its K2 workflow family with the introduction of K2D-X, a workflow solution optimized for digital print production, alongside K2 3.0, the latest generation of its production workflow platform.
The announcement reflects Xitron's continued commitment to open, vendor-independent workflow solutions that allow print providers to build production environments around the equipment that best suits their business rather than the limitations of a single manufacturer's ecosystem.
Today's print providers operate in a variety of production environments, each with its own workflow requirements. While many commercial printers require a unified workflow like K2 to support offset, digital, and hybrid production, others have invested heavily in multiple digital presses, each driven by its own Digital Front End (DFE). As those digital environments become more complex, maintaining a consistent prepress workflow becomes increasingly difficult. K2D-X was developed specifically to address that challenge.
Designed for facilities operating multiple digital presses and multiple DFEs, K2D-X prepares incoming PDF files before they reach the press. Jobs are preflighted, corrected, normalized, and imposed before being delivered as press-ready PDF files to the appropriate Digital Front End. By standardizing prepress upstream, K2D-X allows print providers to prepare each job once while continuing to use the manufacturer's native DFE to drive each press.
“Digital print providers have invested heavily in expanding their production capabilities over the past decade,” said Paul Napolitano, Product Manager at Xitron. “The challenge is that every new DFE introduces another production island. K2D-X gives customers a common workflow that prepares jobs once and delivers production-ready PDF files wherever they're needed, without forcing them to replace the equipment in which they've already invested.”
Because K2D-X delivers press-ready PDF files, print providers that do not require traditional RIP or RIP options such as trapping can standardize prepress across mixed-vendor digital environments while preserving existing investments in presses and DFEs. 2
Alongside K2D-X, Xitron will also introduce K2 3.0, the latest release of its flagship workflow platform. New capabilities include expanded workflow automation, enhanced job management, streamlined deployment, and improved third-party integration. Together, these enhancements reduce manual intervention while increasing production flexibility.
Visitors to PRINTING United Expo 2026 will see demonstrations of both K2D-X and K2 3.0 at the Hybrid Software booth, C1371.
Together, K2D-X and K2 3.0 represent Xitron's continuing commitment to open workflow solutions that allow print providers to choose the presses, DFEs, and production technologies that best fit their business, rather than the limitations of a single vendor's ecosystem.
More Than 40 Commercial Printers Take Advantage of Xitron‘s Same-as-Cash Financing Program
Customer adoption highlights ongoing demand for workflow modernization
ANN ARBOR, MI – July 21, 2026 – Xitron, a subsidiary of Hybrid Software Group and the developer of Harlequin-based Navigator RIP and workflow products for commercial, flexo, screen, digital, and high-speed inkjet printing, announced today that more than 40 commercial printers have taken advantage of the company’s interest-free, same-as-cash financing program since its launch, highlighting sustained demand for technologies that enhance productivity while maintaining cash flow.
The program allows customers to finance purchases over six, twelve, eighteen, or twenty-four months with no interest, making it easier to invest in production technology without delaying critical business improvements.
Customers have used the program to finance solutions across Xitron’s product portfolio—from Raster Blaster, which enables RIPs and workflows to drive CTP devices from multiple manufacturers, to K2, Xitron’s workflow platform that integrates offset and digital production within a single workflow.
“Commercial printers continue to make strategic investments in technologies that improve efficiency, productivity, and profitability,” said Karen Crews, President of Xitron. “The strong response to our same-as-cash financing program shows that when financial barriers are reduced, printers are ready to move forward with projects that strengthen their operations. We’re pleased to help make those investments more accessible.”
The financing program has been adopted across Xitron’s product portfolio, reflecting the diverse ways commercial printers are modernizing their production environments. Whether replacing legacy systems, expanding existing workflows, or implementing new capabilities, customers are investing in technologies that deliver measurable operational gains. Available through Xitron and participating authorized resellers, the same-as-cash financing program provides commercial printers with added flexibility to invest in the technologies they need today while spreading payments over time.
For more information about Xitron’s financing program or its portfolio of workflow, RIP, and connectivity solutions, contact Xitron or an authorized Xitron reseller.
The Digital Vanguard of Prepress:
How Xitron, ALWAN, and AMSKY Are Redefining Modern Printing
Translated from an article originally published in Poligrafika
JUNE 2026 – The modern printing industry is undergoing the most intensive technological transformation in recent years. Rapidly growing customer expectations for uncompromising quality, lower costs, personalization, and ever-faster turnaround times are forcing printing companies to continually evaluate and optimize the processes taking place in prepress.
In an era of hybrid printing, rising raw material costs, and increasing environmental pressures, success depends on integrating three key pillars of production: efficient file processing, intelligent color management, and precise imaging hardware. The synergy achieved by implementing solutions from Xitron, ALWAN Color Expertise, and AMSKY Graphic Equipment demonstrates how modern technology translates directly into business profitability.
The Digital Heart of the Print Shop:
The Power of Independent RIP Processing
Every prepress workflow begins with interpreting the files supplied by the customer. At the center of this process is the RIP (Raster Image Processor). Its primary role is to translate complex PDF, PostScript, and EPS files into raster data that can be understood by output devices such as platesetters and digital printing presses.
Today's RIP is far more than a simple file converter. It has become the central production management platform, coordinating trapping, automated imposition, proofing, job queuing, and workflow management across multi-workstation production environments.
In this market segment, the undisputed leader remains the American company Xitron, whose Navigator GPS and K2 Workflow software are built on the Harlequin RIP architecture. This technology delivers exceptionally fast rendering of even the most graphically complex jobs, including files containing difficult transparency effects, shadows, and advanced special effects.
Navigator provides native PDF processing, eliminating the risk of critical printing errors associated with overprinting or improperly embedded fonts.
One of Xitron's greatest strengths is its long-standing philosophy of "Prepress Independence." Its software works seamlessly with equipment from virtually every major manufacturer in the industry, including Agfa, Heidelberg, Kodak, Screen, and Fujifilm.
As a result, printing companies can modernize their legacy workflow software and automate production without the enormous expense of purchasing new hardware or replacing costly software already in use.
Xitron Releases New K2 Workflow Version with Advanced Imposition Editing and Expanded Automation
Latest update delivers client-based imposition template editing, smarter multi-PDF output, and integrated project archiving to improve production efficiency.
Ann Arbor, MI – January 28, 2026 – Xitron, a subsidiary of Hybrid Software Group and the developer of Harlequin-based Navigator RIP and K2 workflow software for commercial, flexo, digital, and high-speed inkjet printing, today announced the general availability of a new version of K2 featuring significant enhancements to imposition, automation, and job management.
The latest release introduces new imposition template editors directly within K2’s five concurrent Mac and Windows production clients, allowing users to create and modify imposition templates, marks, and marks profiles from their everyday workstations. This eliminates reliance on centralized editing and enables production teams to make adjustments quickly without disrupting overall workflow operations, while eliminating the need to resubmit work through the entire prepress cycle.
In addition, K2 now supports generating multiple imposed PDFs from a single job, with output options by job, side, signature, or web. Downstream RIP and export actions fully support these multiple outputs, and expanded file naming controls make it easier to identify files throughout plating, press, and finishing processes. The result is a more automated, predictable handoff between workflow stages and fewer manual steps for operators.
The new release also enhances job reuse and repeat production through integrated project archiving within K2’s browser-based Job Submission module. Users can archive complete projects, preview pages, replace individual pages by drag-and-drop, and automatically apply existing job settings when resubmitting components to the same workflow, helping reduce setup time and minimize errors on reprints and revisions.
“These enhancements are all about removing friction from everyday production,” said Karen Crews, President of Xitron. “By bringing powerful imposition editing directly to Mac and Windows clients, expanding automation for multi-output jobs, and making job reuse easier and safer, this release helps customers respond faster to changing requirements while maintaining consistent, reliable output.”
Additional improvements in this version of K2 include usability refinements in page management, improved visibility into job components, localized interface elements for international users, and workflow export enhancements that give operators greater control over file naming and organization.
The new K2 version is available immediately to customers with active maintenance. For more information or to request a demonstration, visit www.xitron.com.
Xitron Expands Team to Support Continued K2 Workflow Adoption
Appointments reflect growing market traction for K2
Ann Arbor, MI – January 5, 2026 – Xitron, a subsidiary of Hybrid Software Group and the developer of Harlequin-based Navigator RIP and workflow products for commercial, flexo, screen, digital, and high-speed inkjet printing, announced today experienced industry professional Alan Darling has joined Xitron as K2 Evangelist.
Alan Darling Joins as K2 Evangelist
Alan Darling is a long-time printing industry veteran with decades of experience in workflow development, technical consulting, and customer advocacy. In his new role as K2 Evangelist, Darling will focus on expanding awareness of K2 throughout the industry. His responsibilities include outreach to analysts, journalists, and trade publications as well as direct engagement with printing companies that are searching for modern alternatives to legacy subscription workflows.
“Alan has a deep understanding of what printers need from their workflow technology. He knows how to translate that into clear, practical value,” said Karen Crews, President of Xitron. “His technical background and communication strengths make him an ideal advocate for K2 during this period of rapid adoption.”
Alan Darling
Carmen Garza