{
 "categories": [
  "cad",
  "engineering",
  "manufacturing"
 ],
 "deployment": "desktop",
 "evidence": [
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "homepage",
   "note": "Autodesk presents Inventor as commercial 3D mechanical CAD with parametric, direct, freeform, and rules-based design, and currently sells Inventor 2027 subscriptions.",
   "source": "https://www.autodesk.com/products/inventor/overview",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "platforms",
   "note": "Autodesk's Inventor FAQ states that Inventor runs on Microsoft Windows.",
   "source": "https://www.autodesk.com/products/inventor/overview",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "license",
   "note": "Inventor is sold as a commercial named-user subscription, with monthly, annual, and three-year terms plus Flex tokens for occasional use.",
   "source": "https://www.autodesk.com/products/inventor/overview",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "modalities.api.exists",
   "note": "Autodesk publishes an Inventor API overview covering the COM API, an installed SDK, VBA, and Apprentice Server.",
   "source": "https://aps.autodesk.com/developer/overview/inventor-api",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "modalities.api.kinds[0]",
   "note": "Autodesk states that the COM API automates repetitive design tasks and extends Inventor using Visual Basic, C++, C#, Python, Java, and other COM-capable languages.",
   "source": "https://aps.autodesk.com/developer/overview/inventor-api",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "modalities.api.kinds[1]",
   "note": "Official iLogic help documents rule-based automation in VB.NET 2012 syntax, including direct Inventor API access through ThisApplication and ThisDoc.Document.",
   "source": "https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2026/ENU/Inventor-iLogic/files/GUID-32B66838-22E4-4A0A-B5BB-862350C76B36.htm",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "modalities.api.kinds[2]",
   "note": "The product page tells users to access the Inventor API to create add-ins and to use Autodesk Platform Services to connect the ecosystem.",
   "source": "https://www.autodesk.com/products/inventor/overview",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "modalities.api.kinds[3]",
   "note": "Apprentice is a UI-less ActiveX server for file references, assembly structure, B-Rep, geometry, and document properties, installed separately from Inventor 2026 onward.",
   "source": "https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2026/ENU/Inventor-API/files/Apprentice_Overview.htm",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "modalities.api.kinds[4]",
   "note": "APS Inventor Automation exposes Inventor Server as a cloud web service that loads custom add-ins and runs iLogic rules against IPT, IAM, and IDW files.",
   "source": "https://aps.autodesk.com/automation-apis",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "modalities.api.auth[0]",
   "note": "APS documents OAuth 2 as the authentication method for applications that call Platform Services APIs, including Automation.",
   "source": "https://aps.autodesk.com/developer/overview/authentication-api",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "modalities.api.coverage",
   "note": "The desktop object model plus the installed SDK, object-model chart, and samples cover mechanical design automation; cloud Automation adds unattended processing of Inventor documents.",
   "source": "https://aps.autodesk.com/developer/overview/inventor-api",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "modalities.sdk",
   "note": "Inventor installs an official SDK under Public Documents with DeveloperTools and UserTools MSI packages, samples, and the object-model chart.",
   "source": "https://aps.autodesk.com/developer/overview/inventor-api",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "modalities.sdk.languages",
   "note": "Autodesk's Inventor API overview and SDK tooling target Visual Basic, C++, and C# for add-ins and standalone programs.",
   "source": "https://aps.autodesk.com/developer/overview/inventor-api",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "modalities.mcp.third_party[0]",
   "note": "A third-party Inventor MCP gateway on GitHub targets Inventor 2022-2027 parts, sketches, features, parameters, iProperties, and export, and was last pushed on 2026-08-12.",
   "source": "https://github.com/bimwright/ipt-mcp",
   "tier": "scraped"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "modalities.mcp.third_party[1]",
   "note": "A second third-party Inventor MCP server uses COM automation for sketches, part features, assemblies, drawings, and document control, last pushed on 2026-06-23.",
   "source": "https://github.com/hsavas/inventor-mcp",
   "tier": "scraped"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "modalities.integrations.zapier",
   "note": "Zapier's public app directory returned 404 for Autodesk Inventor and for /apps/inventor/integrations on 2026-08-21.",
   "source": "https://zapier.com/apps/autodesk-inventor/integrations",
   "tier": "scraped"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "modalities.integrations.make",
   "note": "Make's public app catalog returned 404 for Autodesk Inventor on 2026-08-21.",
   "source": "https://apps.make.com/autodesk-inventor",
   "tier": "scraped"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "modalities.integrations.power_automate",
   "note": "Microsoft's public connector-reference catalog contained no Autodesk Inventor connector on 2026-08-21; https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/connectors/autodeskinventor/ returned 404.",
   "source": "https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/connectors/connector-reference/",
   "tier": "scraped"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "modalities.integrations.n8n",
   "note": "n8n's built-in app-node documentation returned 404 for an Autodesk Inventor node on 2026-08-21.",
   "source": "https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/builtin/app-nodes/n8n-nodes-base.autodeskinventor/",
   "tier": "scraped"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "modalities.extensibility.scripting",
   "note": "iLogic rules, external VB files, and referenced .NET DLLs are supported in-product extension paths, and rules can call the Inventor API.",
   "source": "https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2026/ENU/Inventor-iLogic/files/GUID-32B66838-22E4-4A0A-B5BB-862350C76B36.htm",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "modalities.extensibility.scripting",
   "note": "Autodesk documents VBA, add-ins, standalone COM programs, and the installed SDK as Inventor extension surfaces.",
   "source": "https://aps.autodesk.com/developer/overview/inventor-api",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "modalities.data_access.export",
   "note": "Inventor 2026 save and export tables list IPT and IAM plus STEP, IGES, SAT, DWG, DXF, STL, and PDF among the supported output formats.",
   "source": "https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2026/ENU/Inventor-Help/files/GUID-4EE5D88C-E6B9-48BB-9CC5-7CC7098FF473.htm",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "modalities.data_access.import",
   "note": "Official translators import STEP, IGES, SAT, DWG, SolidWorks, CATIA, NX, and IFC, among other AnyCAD reference formats.",
   "source": "https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2026/ENU/Inventor-Help/files/GUID-AF41FA87-7588-4698-9C41-756A01EBE7F4.htm",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "verdict.scores.api",
   "note": "A deep COM and iLogic desktop model plus a documented cloud Inventor Server engine is broad and practical; Windows licensing, Apprentice install split, APS packaging, and quotas keep it below a perfect score.",
   "source": "https://aps.autodesk.com/automation-apis",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "verdict.scores.mcp",
   "note": "The official MCP registry search for inventor returned inventory-management products, not Autodesk Inventor. Two maintained GitHub implementations exist. Vendor docs do not establish first-party absence.",
   "source": "https://registry.modelcontextprotocol.io/v0.1/servers?search=inventor",
   "tier": "scraped"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "verdict.scores.integrations",
   "note": "Bounded checks of Zapier, Make, Microsoft connector-reference, and n8n built-in app nodes found no Autodesk Inventor connector on 2026-08-21.",
   "source": "https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/connectors/connector-reference/",
   "tier": "scraped"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[0].url",
   "note": "Opened and verified as Autodesk's current Inventor API, SDK, VBA, and Apprentice index.",
   "source": "https://aps.autodesk.com/developer/overview/inventor-api",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[1].url",
   "note": "Opened and verified as the current APS Automation APIs overview, including the Inventor Server cloud engine.",
   "source": "https://aps.autodesk.com/automation-apis",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-21",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[2].url",
   "note": "Opened and verified as current Inventor 2026 iLogic expansion and API-from-rule documentation.",
   "source": "https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2026/ENU/Inventor-iLogic/files/GUID-32B66838-22E4-4A0A-B5BB-862350C76B36.htm",
   "tier": "declared"
  }
 ],
 "freshness": {
  "last_verified": "2026-08-21",
  "volatility": "high",
  "watch": [
   {
    "type": "docs",
    "url": "https://aps.autodesk.com/developer/overview/inventor-api"
   },
   {
    "type": "cloud-api",
    "url": "https://aps.autodesk.com/automation-apis"
   },
   {
    "type": "docs",
    "url": "https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2026/ENU/Inventor-iLogic/files/GUID-32B66838-22E4-4A0A-B5BB-862350C76B36.htm"
   }
  ]
 },
 "homepage": "https://www.autodesk.com/products/inventor/overview",
 "id": "autodesk-inventor",
 "license": "commercial",
 "modalities": {
  "agent_docs": {
   "llms_txt": "unknown"
  },
  "api": {
   "auth": [
    "oauth2"
   ],
   "coverage": "full",
   "docs": "https://aps.autodesk.com/developer/overview/inventor-api",
   "exists": true,
   "kinds": [
    "com",
    "ilogic",
    "add-ins",
    "apprentice",
    "rest"
   ]
  },
  "cli": {
   "exists": "unknown"
  },
  "computer_use": {
   "issues": [],
   "viability": "unknown"
  },
  "data_access": {
   "export": [
    "ipt",
    "iam",
    "step",
    "iges",
    "sat",
    "dwg",
    "dxf",
    "stl",
    "pdf"
   ],
   "import": [
    "step",
    "iges",
    "sat",
    "dwg",
    "solidworks",
    "catia",
    "nx",
    "ifc"
   ]
  },
  "extensibility": {
   "scripting": [
    "ilogic-rules",
    "add-ins",
    "vba",
    "standalone-com",
    "automation-app-bundles"
   ],
   "webhooks": "unknown"
  },
  "integrations": {
   "make": false,
   "n8n": false,
   "power_automate": false,
   "zapier": false
  },
  "mcp": {
   "first_party": "unknown",
   "third_party": [
    {
     "maintained": true,
     "registries": [
      "github"
     ],
     "repo": "https://github.com/bimwright/ipt-mcp"
    },
    {
     "maintained": true,
     "registries": [
      "github"
     ],
     "repo": "https://github.com/hsavas/inventor-mcp"
    }
   ],
   "verdict": "unknown"
  },
  "rpa": {
   "drivability": "unknown",
   "notes": "No repeatable UI probe was run. The COM API, iLogic rules, add-ins, Apprentice Server, and the APS Inventor Automation engine provide supported object-model and cloud-batch control without visually driving the Windows desktop UI.\n",
   "ui_stack": [
    "windows-native",
    "com-object-model"
   ],
   "vendor_support": []
  },
  "sdk": {
   "exists": true,
   "languages": [
    "vbnet",
    "csharp",
    "cpp"
   ],
   "official": true
  }
 },
 "name": "Autodesk Inventor",
 "platforms": [
  "windows"
 ],
 "related": {
  "alternatives": [
   "solidworks",
   "autodesk-fusion-360",
   "autocad"
  ],
  "our_products": []
 },
 "schema_version": 1,
 "score_version": 1,
 "status": "active",
 "vendor": "Autodesk",
 "verdict": {
  "best_path": "api",
  "scores": {
   "api": 8,
   "cli": null,
   "computer_use": null,
   "integrations": 0,
   "mcp": 5,
   "overall": 8,
   "rpa": null
  },
  "summary": "Autodesk Inventor is automatable today through a first-party COM object model, in-product iLogic rules, and Autodesk Platform Services Inventor Automation. The desktop API creates add-ins, VBA macros, and standalone programs in Visual Basic, C#, and C++, and Autodesk documents COM callers in additional languages. iLogic rules use VB.NET 2012 syntax, can call the Inventor API through ThisApplication, and can load external DLLs. Apprentice Server is a free in-process COM server that reads assembly structure, geometry, and properties and can write file references and iProperties without starting the full Inventor UI; from Inventor 2026 it is a separate install. APS Inventor Automation runs add-ins and iLogic against Inventor Server in the cloud to process or create IPT, IAM, and IDW files, including drawing generation, BOM export, and bulk migration, using OAuth-protected REST work items. Desktop automation is Windows-only and license-gated. Cloud jobs need an APS application, packaged activities, storage URLs, engine lifecycle rules, and paid quotas. The official MCP registry search for inventor returned unrelated inventory products; community Inventor MCP servers exist on GitHub. Autodesk developer pages do not establish first-party MCP ownership. Zapier, Make, Microsoft Power Automate, and n8n had no Inventor-named connector on 2026-08-21. Computer-use viability is unassessed. Fusion, AutoCAD, Vault, and Inventor Nastran are outside this record.\n"
 }
}