Real-time integration between enterprise resource planning (ERP) and manufacturing execution system (MES) software often is a major goal in manufacturing operations support. But for Becton, Dickinson and Co. (BD), it's not the ultimate goal. At the global manufacturer of medical devices, supplies and products, the MES-to-ERP linkage is more of a means to an end, says Lee Hudson, manager of manufacturing information technology.

Those end goals are two fold. One: Manage material movement in real time. And, two: Monitor and fine-tune machine processes in real time. Since the deployment of an MES (Apriso Corp., 562-951-8000), BD has the visibility it needs to meet these goals, says Hudson. That has led to benefits such as cutting work-in-process inventory by as much as a third at some sites.

"If you have a real-time view of work-in-process inventory, it gives you the opportunity to reduce your inventory and move closer to a just-in-time re-supply," says Hudson. "The other area of benefit is the real-time monitoring of process equipment. We monitor critical pieces of equipment and gated operations in real time, so if there is an issue, we can respond in real time."

The MES, currently live at 13 sites with three more to come, is integrated with BD's ERP system (SAP, 888-727-1993). Most importantly, the linkage is near real time with transactions posting throughout each shift, says Hudson.

An automated link between enterprise and manufacturing execution software gives BD a real-time visibility into material movement.

"We can develop a picture of how the material truly flows through the manufacturing process. We think of this as a view into a living, breathing process, rather than a historical snapshot," says Hudson. At the enterprise level, the link gives managers better information for order promising and purchasing. "There is just a big ripple effect with our overall operations by having this integration," Hudson says.