In the enterprise, the concept of master data management is catching on like wildfire in no small part due to Web-based tools and governance strategies that enable manufacturers to reconcile product and customer information. Down at the plant floor, however, where legacy systems house disparate data and the quality of information is a critical component in managing the execution process, MDM has always been around in one way, shape, or form.

Manufacturing's phases including design, plan, and execute, and each requires a clear definition of the product being made so that the bill of materials (BOM), recipes, operations, and quality testing can be well managed. The "single version of the truth" rule applies, but it's not so much about having a single repository, but rather defining where the data lies, who owns it, and how it can be exchanged.

"MDM is not something you do after the fact," says Claus Abildgren, program manager at Wonderware, a division of Invensys plc. "It is designed in."

Wonderware has built MDM into its ArchestrA technology framework, for example. ArchestrA provides a logical representation of physical processes and includes a hierarchy that defines master data as it relates to the physical resources available. It includes common services, including the Global Namespace, a common naming format, and also has Galaxy Repository, a common database for the plant model.

Similarly, Rockwell Automation has built a services platform into its FactoryTalk architecture for plant-wide information systems. FactoryTalk uses a federated approach, says Matt Bauer, Rockwell's market development director for information systems. The concept centers around synchronizing the data, regardless of where it lies, rather than corralling it into a centralized database. A tool called FactoryTalk Integrator provides the footprint for managing the data across many systems, he says.

But the point Abildgren and Bauer drive home is that operational excellence on the plant floor starts with governing the data. Unlike MDM's role in the enterprise, data management technology is not an add-on when it comes to plant systems.

"We recognize and have dealt with the concept of MDM as a natural course of action in implementing any of the execution pieces," Bauer says. "It is part and parcel of what you have to do in order to make the systems operate."