CAD systems are important design tools that enable the designer to conceptualize, visualize, analyze, and manufacture a design (Shahin 2008). Although high-end CAD systems provide several built-in design applications, the users of CAD often select various custom or proprietary non-CAD analyses that constrain, optimize, or evaluate their designs. An efficient method is needed to perform trade studies from within the CAD environment. Methods have been developed to meet the challenges associated with this need. The methods have been implemented in a program, called the Process Integrator, which resides in a CAD system and allows the user to perform trade studies on an assembly model from within the CAD environment. The Process Integrator allows the user to create a generic process configuration to link analyses with CAD assemblies for optimization. The generic configuration can then be run at any time, on any assembly that meets the configuration requirements. Test cases are presented in which the efficiency of the automated process is demonstrated. Results indicate that significant time savings can be achieved through the application of these methods.