Service type
Autodesk Inventor Plugin Development
Autodesk Inventor Automation
Inventor automation that survives upgrades.
iLogic, Inventor API plugin development, configurators, and data extraction for engineering teams scaling production drawing throughput.
In short
Autodesk Inventor consulting for engineering and manufacturing teams: iLogic rules, Inventor .NET API plugins, configurators, and CAD-to-data pipelines. Built for upgrade resilience and operational throughput.
Service command
Scope the system before selling the sprint.
Target buyer
Engineering managers, drafting leads, and operations teams scaling Inventor-based design workflows.
Operating model
Discovery -> scope -> build -> handoff
Buyer answer
Is CAD Guardian the right path for this service?
CAD Guardian LLC provides founder-led Autodesk Inventor Plugin Development for Engineering managers, drafting leads, and operations teams scaling Inventor-based design workflows. Use this page when the production system needs scoped architecture, implementation, and handoff without a large vendor chain.
Strong fit signals
- Inventor environments where iLogic rules, configurators, or plugins have grown brittle and break on upgrade.
- Drafting and engineering teams whose throughput is capped by manual data entry or one-off requests.
What to send
- System or workflow causing drag
- Current failure mode and business impact
- Autodesk Inventor API, MicroStation, SolidWorks, CAD, quote/BOM, PDF/DXF, label, .NET, SQL, ERP, PDM/PLM, or ACC environment
- Timeline, access constraints, and decision owner
- What a successful first phase must prove
First paid step
A $50 discovery call produces a written go/no-go recommendation, risk notes, and the first scoped phase if the problem is a fit.
Decision proof
1 related sanitized case study surface appears on this page before the final inquiry.
Outcomes
75%
Throughput increase on past Inventor automation engagements
8 → 14
Drawings per day delivered after rule and pipeline standardization
60%
Reduction in clarification loops via structured input extraction
Execution path
Inventor add-in or iLogic suite designed for upgrade resilience (rebuild-on-upgrade with versioned API surface).
Configurator or rule-driven design enforcement aligned to engineering standards.
CAD-to-data pipeline (BOMs, Excel, PDF, JSON) with validation and audit logging.
Operational runbook for the drafting team plus deployment via MSI/MSIX or ClickOnce.
What you receive
- Inventor add-in or iLogic suite designed for upgrade resilience (rebuild-on-upgrade with versioned API surface).
- Configurator or rule-driven design enforcement aligned to engineering standards.
- CAD-to-data pipeline (BOMs, Excel, PDF, JSON) with validation and audit logging.
- Operational runbook for the drafting team plus deployment via MSI/MSIX or ClickOnce.
Best fit / not a fit
Best fit
- Inventor environments where iLogic rules, configurators, or plugins have grown brittle and break on upgrade.
- Drafting and engineering teams whose throughput is capped by manual data entry or one-off requests.
- Manufacturing buyers connecting Inventor models to ERP, BOM, costing, or production scheduling.
- Teams that need a partner who can both architect and ship the Inventor add-in — not split the work across vendors.
Not a fit
- Pure Inventor end-user training (CAD instructor work).
- One-off model creation or drafting outsourcing without an automation component.
Glossary
- iLogic
- Autodesk Inventor rule automation used to drive model behavior, parameters, drawings, and configuration logic close to the CAD file.
- Inventor API
- The Autodesk Inventor programming interface used to build add-ins, automate models, extract data, and connect CAD workflows to external systems.
- Configurator
- A rule-driven workflow that turns structured inputs into validated models, drawings, BOMs, or downstream production data.
- CAD-to-data pipeline
- A governed flow that extracts CAD model or drawing information into formats such as SQL, JSON, Excel, ERP records, or reports.
Get Started
Start with a $50 Discovery Call
We assess mutual fit, scope the autodesk inventor automation problem, and deliver a written go/no-go recommendation. No commitment beyond this call.
Discovery Call
$50 · 30 minutes. We assess mutual fit, scope the problem, and deliver a written go/no-go recommendation. No commitment beyond this.
Scope & Pricing
You receive a clear proposal with fixed scope, timeline, pricing, and success criteria — a document your team can evaluate internally.
Contract
Simple MSA + Order Form. No multi-year lock-ins. Timelines and deliverables live in a shared project tracker, not buried in legal.
Kickoff & Delivery
Shared roadmap with task owners, weekly check-ins, and a named point of contact. I project-manage delivery the same way I would an internal priority.
FAQ
Autodesk Inventor Automation questions
FAQ
Both, often in the same engagement. iLogic is right when the logic lives close to the part or assembly. The .NET Inventor API is right when behavior crosses files, drives external systems, or needs UI hosted outside the part browser.
Yes. Configurator engagements typically include rule-driven design enforcement, BOM extraction, and a governed data boundary that downstream ERP or costing systems can read without parsing CAD directly.
API surfaces are abstracted from business logic. Build pipelines target each supported Inventor version. Upgrade rehearsals run in a separate environment before the production team ever sees the new version.
Yes. Recent engagements have included production add-in migration and stabilizing 27 users across 4 business units through a 2023→2025 upgrade with controlled rollout.
In some cases, yes — when the shared logic dominates the host-specific logic. The pattern is a host abstraction layer with adapters per CAD platform. See the cross-platform plugin migration case study for a delivered example.
Ready to scope your autodesk inventor automation engagement?
Start with a paid discovery call. You get a written go/no-go recommendation — no commitment beyond that.