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Create an Add-In in Autodesk Inventor: Getting Started with the API
May 07, 2026If you’ve ever looked at repetitive tasks in Autodesk Inventor and thought “this should be automated,” this is where that journey actually starts.
In this KETIV Virtual Academy session, Philip Cox walks through the fundamentals of creating your first Inventor add-in using Visual Studio and the Inventor SDK. This isn’t theory. You’ll see how to connect your development environment to Inventor, use Autodesk’s provided templates, and begin building functionality that extends what Inventor can do out of the box.
We’ll focus on the practical setup steps that tend to slow people down early on. Where to find the SDK, how to install the right tools, and how to get your add-in to actually run inside Inventor. If you’re new to the API or looking to move beyond iLogic into more scalable automation, this session gives you a clear starting point.
Agenda
- Introduction to Inventor Add-Ins
- What they are and when to use them
- Setting Up the Development Environment
- Connecting Visual Studio to Autodesk Inventor
- Installing and Using the Inventor SDK
- Where to find it and how to configure it properly
- Working with Add-In Templates
- VB and C# starter templates and how they’re structured
- Running Your First Add-In
- Getting your code to execute inside Inventor
- Next Steps in Automation
- How this foundation leads into more advanced workflows
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What’s New in Vault 2027
May 21, 2026Autodesk Vault 2027 is all about making data management faster, smarter, and easier to work with. Join Autodesk’s Irvin Hayes Jr. and KETIV’s Phil Steiger as they break down what’s new and what actually matters for your day-to-day workflows.
From the introduction of AI with Autodesk Assistant, to practical improvements across search, copy design, and usability, this session focuses on where teams can reduce manual effort and move faster without changing how they already work.
We’ll also touch on enhancements to collaboration, connectivity, and security so you can understand where Vault is headed—and how to start taking advantage of it right away.
Agenda:
- What’s New in Autodesk Vault 2027
- Autodesk Assistant in Vault (AI + Natural Language Workflows)
- Workflow Efficiency Improvements (Search, Copy Design, Automation)
- Collaboration Enhancements (Thin Client + Viewer Updates)
- Connectivity & Digital Thread (Vault Connector + Fusion Manage)
- Security & Enterprise Readiness
- Live Q&A with Autodesk + KETIV Experts
Guest presenter:
Irvin Hayes Jr
Principal Product Manager at Autodesk -
What’s New in AutoCAD 2027
Apr 23, 2026Get a first look at what’s changing in AutoCAD 2027 and what it actually means for your day-to-day work. In this KETIV Virtual Academy session, Quentin Contreras walks through the latest updates, from AI-driven design assistance to new cloud collaboration capabilities and productivity enhancements across drafting workflows.
We’ll cut through the release notes and focus on what matters: where teams can move faster, reduce manual cleanup, and collaborate more effectively across projects. Whether you’re managing standards or deep in production, you’ll leave with a clear understanding of how to apply these updates right away.
Our agenda:
- What’s New in AutoCAD 2027
Quick overview of the biggest changes and why they matter - AI in the Design Process
How Autodesk Assistant introduces prompt-driven workflows and in-context guidance - Collaboration & Cloud Workflows
Forma Data Management, connected references, and multi-user editing - AutoCAD Anywhere
What’s improved across web and mobile for real-world usage - Productivity & Performance Gains
Geometry cleanup, 3D performance updates, and toolset efficiency - Key Takeaways + Q&A
Where to focus first and how to start leveraging these updates immediately
- What’s New in AutoCAD 2027
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How Automation Delivered 80% Faster Quotes at Oldcastle Infrastructure
May 14, 2026Engineering teams are under constant pressure to deliver faster without sacrificing quality. For Oldcastle Infrastructure, that meant rethinking how trench designs were created, updated, and delivered across hundreds of projects each year.
In this session, Keenan Carter, Engineering Manager for Energy, and Caitlyn Saranchek, Senior Director of Product Engineering at Oldcastle Infrastructure, share what led their team to invest in design automation and how they approached the decision. You’ll hear how they evaluated their options, what mattered most in selecting a partner, and how they worked with KETIV to implement a solution that fits their real-world workflows.
They’ll walk through the impact automation has had on their business, from reducing engineering time and clearing backlog to running multiple projects in parallel without adding headcount. Just as important, they’ll share how they’ve maintained consistency and quality across projects, regardless of size or complexity.
If you’re looking to move beyond manual design work and scale your engineering output without burning out your team, this session will give you a practical look at what that transition actually takes and what it delivers.
Meet our guests
Keenan Carter
Engineering Manager for Energy at Oldcastle Infrastructure
Caitlyn Saranchek
Senior Director of Product Engineering at Oldcastle Infrastructure -
Exploring the Autodesk Vault PDM to Fusion Manage PLM Connector
Apr 30, 2026Engineering data rarely stops with engineering. When Autodesk Vault (PDM) is connected to Fusion Manage (PLM), design information can flow beyond CAD into the broader product lifecycle. In this KETIV Virtual Academy session, Jose Paredes-Clara will explain and demonstrate why connecting Vault and PLM matters and how it helps organizations share product data more effectively across teams.
Jose will demonstrate Autodesk’s turnkey Vault to Fusion Manage connector, including how properties are easily mapped, how items synchronize between systems, and how PLM can enrich engineering data with additional product information. You will also see how non-engineering departments can safely access neutral files like drawing PDFs and STEP files without direct access to Vault, along with key considerations around file-based vs item-based approaches.
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Standardizing Shared AutoCAD Content in Vault: Blocks & XREF Libraries
Apr 16, 2026AutoCAD teams rely on shared content every day — blocks, title blocks, standard details, XREFs — but without the right Vault structure, that shared content can quickly turn into duplicated files, broken references, and inconsistent designs.
In this KETIV Virtual Academy session, we’ll show you how to properly configure both an AutoCAD Block Library and an AutoCAD XREF Library Folder inside Autodesk Vault. You’ll learn how to centralize shared content, prevent duplicate file storage, control reference paths, and ensure every project points to the correct, approved files.
We’ll walk through how blocks and XREFs behave when checked into Vault, how to structure shared libraries, and what settings matter most for long-term scalability. Whether you’re cleaning up an existing environment or planning a new Vault implementation, this session will help you build a cleaner, more reliable foundation for AutoCAD collaboration.
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Configure Part Numbering Schemes in Autodesk Vault
Feb 26, 2026Setting up effective part numbering schemes in Autodesk Vault is critical to streamlining your data management process and avoiding file naming conflicts. In this session Data Management Team Lead, Jason Courtemanche, walks you through how to configure both automated (dumb) and smart numbering systems, including tips on planning, testing, and avoiding common pitfalls.
You’ll learn:
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- How to access and create new Vault numbering schemes
- The difference between smart numbers and auto-generated (dumb) numbers
- How to set up prefixes, delimiters, and metadata
- When and why you should pre-plan a numbering scheme for growth
- What changes are allowed before and after a scheme is used
- Best practices for avoiding duplicate file names and managing revisions
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AI in Manufacturing: What’s New at Autodesk & What You Can Do Today
Jan 29, 2026AI is rapidly reshaping the manufacturing world; and Autodesk is leading the charge. As a close partner working directly with Autodesk, KETIV will be at the front of these releases, helping you understand and adopt new capabilities as they emerge. Join the KETIV Customer Success team for an easy-to-follow session that explains what’s coming, what matters, and what you can do right now with AI in Autodesk.
We will walk through the latest AI developments from Autodesk University, highlight the tools already making an impact, and show how teams can prepare for the next phase of intelligent automation. You will leave with strategies to strengthen your data, streamline your processes, and build readiness inside your organization.
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Autodesk Inventor Drawing Automation Basics
Dec 11, 2025Get started with automating your drawings using the Inventor API. In this session, Philip Cox, Senior Application Engineer at KETIV, will walk through the basics of developing in both iLogic and Visual Studio, and show how to programmatically add views, tables, Sketch Symbols, and more using Inventor’s API.
To spice it up, fellow Application Engineer Justin Cao will join as “a typical end-user” who’s just learning automation in a classroom-style virtual environment. You’ll see the kinds of questions that come up early on and how to approach drawing automation step by step, so you can start applying the same ideas in your own projects.
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Managing Change Across the Lifecycle: PLM vs. PDM Explained
Dec 18, 2025Change management is critical to product development success, but the tools you choose can make all the difference. In this session, we’ll explore why managing change in a PLM system offers greater flexibility, visibility, and cross-functional collaboration compared to traditional PDM approaches. Learn the key differences between Autodesk Vault and Fusion Manage, and discover how PLM enables comprehensive workflows, impact assessment, and seamless integration with ERP and suppliers.
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Configuring User and Group Permissions in Autodesk Vault
Jan 22, 2026Solid Vault administration starts with clear and intentional access control. In this session, Donny Hayes from KETIV’s Data Management team walks through how to set up users, groups, and permissions in Autodesk Vault the right way—so your team has the access they need, and nothing they shouldn’t.
We’ll cover the fundamentals of user creation and authentication, then move into role assignments, group configuration, and how to use groups to manage lifecycle states and folder access. You’ll see where permissions actually live, how they interact, and how to avoid the common pitfalls that lead to security gaps and administrative headaches.
This session is perfect for Vault administrators, IT leads, engineering managers, and anyone responsible for keeping data secure and workflows running smoothly across Vault Professional, Vault Basic, or Vault Workgroup.
Walk away with a cleaner, more organized Vault environment—and a clear path to maintaining it.
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Autodesk Inventor Power-Hour
Nov 20, 2025We’re packing three of our most talked-about Autodesk Inventor sessions into one action-packed hour. Think of it as a greatest-hits set list for anyone who wants to draft faster, automate the repetitive work, and build smarter design tools inside Inventor.
Here’s what we’ll dig into:
EZ-UCS for Inventor
Stop wrestling with awkward workplanes and coordinate systems. This utility makes it dead simple to place and manage user coordinate systems exactly where you need them—no gymnastics required.Developing iLogic Add-ins
You’ve probably written iLogic rules. Now take the next step: build your own reusable add-ins so those rules become real tools your entire team can rely on.VSCode Snippet Templates for Automation
Say goodbye to re-typing the same logic over and over. We’ll show how to use snippet templates to build faster, cleaner, and more consistent automation from the jump.This is a fast-moving, practical session meant for Inventor power users, automation-curious engineers, and anyone who wants to spend less time clicking and more time designing. Walk away with tools, templates, and tactics you can put to work immediately.
Bring your coffee. We’ll handle the power.
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KETIV Virtual Academy Vault
This extensive vault covers years of topics covered by the talented engineers and design professionals at KETIV Technologies. Follow us on social media to get the latest!