as they have in the past的have用法?

句中的have是指向句前說chemical engineers這些化學工程師will approach data這工作程序(這動詞指將會怎樣做)而have是指他們have approach data或process(以往或一直以來的做法)，只是由於"動作/動詞"是相同意義/含意，所以說話或講述時便省去重複的字/詞/意。假如全寫出來便很長(例如詳寫而用不同的用寫表達相似的意義)：
chemical engineers will likely approach data as they have processed data in the past.而簡單一點的寫/講法讓你明白或句式文法完整一點可以：chemical engineers will likely approach data as they have done in the past.這個have字雖然只寫出單字，不要誤會是指他們"有/擁有"甚麼的意思。