The integration of software tools used in an engineering process is a problem that arises frequently in large-scale engineering projects.
Traditional approaches are insufficient for complex engineering tools and processes.
The solution must also account for the evolution of the system, as tools and processes change over time. Each of these tools is usually a highly specialized package that contributes to a crucial step in the engineering process. While vendors may offer tool suites, the tools used in practice are very rarely integrated across the engineering process. In many cases, they were simply not designed with easy integration in mind. Solving the integration problem is not easy.