Integration technology of ERP and PDM based on business remote function call

In order to better support ERP system and PDM system integration for independent enterprise network manufacturing systems, the characteristics of ERP and PDM integration are analyzed and the technology of business remote function call is presented. The standards or custom functions which support remote transfer using BRFC interface could be called by ERP and PDM systems. The data gained by ERP and PDM systems can be used to achieve the integration. Not only can a kind of integration model of ERP and PDM be composed, but the RFC interface can be semantically described. The structure, realization and interview of remote function call technology, which are used by ERP and PDM integration, are researched. Also, data exchange of system integration based on data stream direction is discussed to illustrate self-containment, collaboration and recombination of the ERP and PDM systems integration. The conception of a heterogeneous data translator is put forward, and its data structure is given. Interface development tools provided by ERP and PDM are fully considered. The system composing mode is construed clearly. The heterogeneous data translator is applied to realize classic code systems, system information searches of PDM, system information searches of ERP and integration information searches. Then the advantages of BRFC are expounded. The effectiveness and suitability of the BRFC interface integration mechanism is explained and verified. Finally, two application examples are presented to verify the feasibility and efficiency of RFC technology: a typical integration of WLPDM and SAP R/3 ERP in WLNM networked manufacturing platform and a typical integration of Kingdee ERP and HTPDM in Haitian mass customization platform. Thus seamless integration, plain integration, non-repeated data memory, integration flexibility and low cost are realized.