Impact has a wide range of plug-ins available for completing and automating various tasks not otherwise covered by built-in tools. Whilst many plug-ins are created by Arden Software Ltd and its partners for general use, with a little training customers are also able create their own, or similarly, custom plug-ins can be created for you on request. Depending on your automation needs a simple script may be more suitable however.
The following are publicly available plug-ins you may wish to try, though some do require their own specific licensing. It is, of course, recommended that you contact your support representatives if you are uncertain of how to proceed, or face any issues installing, licensing or using these plug-ins.
Plug-in | Purpose | Compatibility | Notes |
Impact Layout Estimator | Provides a way to compare many layout combinations simultaneously, e.g. to find the optimal, most efficient, shortest run duration, least wasteful options. Optionally, generating one or more results as if created by the Quick or full Layout Creator tool. | Available for Impact 2014 or later | Check the version history for the latest available features. |
Manufacturing Toolbox | Provides a collection of additional tools designed for die-makers, including quick and convenient creation of steel counter plates, a stripper routing module, custom perf rule generation, and much more... |
NOTE: You'll need to make sure you're using the correct version of the plug-in for your installed application. Generally, plug-ins will check and warn you automatically if you're not using a compatible version.
Other Product Plug-ins
In addition to plug-ins which run within Impact, Arden produces plug-ins for various other applications, often to provide connectivity or to support a specific workflow. Here you'll find details of those plug-ins and where to find them.
Plug-in | Purpose | Compatibility | Notes |
WEBcnx Plug-in for Impact | Provides basic task management functionality for Impact users connected to a WEBcnx-linked design database. | Available for Impact/WEBcnx combinations | Refer to the WEBcnx documentation for installation instructions and where to download the plug-in. |
Impact Plug-in for Illustrator | Provides automatic document handling in Adobe Illustrator to get an Impact produced structural ('dieline') PDF ready for artwork creation. | Available for Impact 2010 and later and Adobe Illustrator 2017 and later | Documentation on plug-in setup and use is available from the following help page. |