I also had the problems with .sat comming from Inventor that gave me nothing when imported in AutoCAD ( a pity because Inventor and AutoCAD are both from Autodesk ).

I could open them with Solidworks, save them as .sat and then import them in AutoCAD as good 3D volumes. 

Are those faulty "blocks" real volumes and not surfaces or lines ?

 

In your profile you declare AutoCAD 2014 but you are talking about making an export from Inventor?

When I give 3D files for Solidworks or ProE it's working with AutoCAD WITH THE GOOD OPTIONS WHEN OPENING IT ON SOLIDWORKS ( there are 3 pannels with setings to select to choose volumes, millimeters etc... ).

I use that pannels when opening a .sat comming from Inventor on Solidworks.

 

I give a special file with exploded blocks ( but not exploded volumes because they turn to lines, arcs, ellipses only ).

For Solidworks I rotate the file 2 times so that Solidworks will open it in the same view ( AutoCAD default view is a plan view and Solidworks default view is an elevation view so that when you give for example a truck sited on its wheel it comes on it nose on Solidworks ).

I suppose that you want to give it for an other person that doesn't have AutoCAD but : Solidworks, ProE ...

We are talking about 3D, OK ?

May be your file can be open as a dwg file but with the good options.

Tell use more about the use of it.