Extend SimPilot with external tools via the Model Context Protocol.
MCP (Model Context Protocol) Connectors let you extend SimPilot's capabilities by connecting to external tool servers. Each connector provides additional tools that the AI can invoke during conversations, enabling integration with company APIs, geometry software, custom solvers, and more.
What is MCP?
The Model Context Protocol is an open standard for connecting AI assistants to external tools and data sources. An MCP server exposes a set of tools (functions the AI can call) and optionally resources (data the AI can read). SimPilot acts as an MCP client, discovering and invoking these tools on your behalf.
Setting up a connector
Open connector settings
Navigate to Settings > Connectors (or go directly to /settings/connectors).
Add a new connector
Click Add Connector and provide the MCP server URL. SimPilot supports two transport protocols:
HTTP -- Standard request/response over HTTPS
SSE (Server-Sent Events) -- Streaming transport for long-running tools
Authenticate
If the server requires authentication, SimPilot uses OAuth 2.1 with PKCE. You will be redirected to the server's authorization page to grant access. Tokens are stored securely and refreshed automatically.
Review available tools
Once connected, SimPilot displays the list of tools the server provides along with their descriptions. You can enable or disable individual tools.
Using connectors in chat
Once a connector is set up, its tools appear in the connector dropdown in the chat input area. Toggle connectors on or off per conversation to control which external tools the AI can access.
When a connector is active, the AI can invoke its tools just like built-in SimPilot tools. For example, if you connect a geometry tool server, the AI might call its export_geometry tool to retrieve a mesh directly from your geometry system.
Tool discovery
The AI automatically discovers what each connector tool does by reading its description and parameter schema. You do not need to teach the AI how to use your custom tools -- just describe what you want to accomplish.
Connector scope
Connectors can be configured at two levels:
Scope
Description
Per-user
Only you can see and use this connector. Ideal for personal API keys or development servers.
Global
Available to all users in the workspace. Set up by administrators for shared company tools.
Example use cases
Authentication
MCP Connectors use OAuth 2.1 with PKCE (Proof Key for Code Exchange) for secure authentication:
No client secrets are stored in the browser
Tokens are scoped to the minimum required permissions
Automatic token refresh keeps sessions alive without re-authentication
Revoke access at any time from the connector settings page
Security considerations
Only connect to MCP servers you trust. Each connector's tools can read data from and write data to the connected system. Review the tool list and permissions before enabling a connector in production conversations.
Built-in connectors
SimPilot ships with the following built-in connectors, ready to enable from the connector settings page:
Connector
Description
Paper Search
Search academic papers across multiple repositories
Semantic Scholar
Query the Semantic Scholar academic graph for papers, authors, and citations
Wolfram Alpha
Computational intelligence for math, physics, and engineering queries
Materials Project
Access materials science data -- crystal structures, properties, and phase diagrams
Onshape
Connect to Onshape CAD for geometry export and model inspection
FreeCAD
Interface with FreeCAD for parametric geometry and mesh export
Jira
Track simulation tasks, link results to Jira issues, and update ticket status
Linear
Manage engineering workflows and link simulation runs to Linear issues
Requirements
The MCP server must be reachable over HTTPS from SimPilot's infrastructure
The server must implement the MCP specification (tool listing, tool invocation, and optionally resource listing)
OAuth 2.1 is required for authenticated servers; unauthenticated servers are supported for internal/development use