MATERIAL TAKE-OFF

Identifying the items and quantities required for the project can be accomplished by performing a detailed material take-off (MTO).

The MTO can be provided from any computer-aided design system model. Another option is manipulating the data in a spreadsheet prior to import if necessary. The MTO can also be performed in the traditional way of manually taking the items directly from the drawings to generate abill of material line item requirements for design or fabrication drawings.

Commonly referenced information, such as clients, is held in tables that are available to all projects, these can then be supplemented by project specific information. Details can also be copied from one project to another thereby ensuring rapid startup and deployment.

Comprehensive specifications are defined and established for material such as bulk process pipefittings, valves and branch fittings, as well as quality control inspection requirements and material grades. When performing the material takeoff the system verifies that the items conform to the project specifications, ensuring that the correct material is purchased.

A number of timesaving features are incorporated, these include: automatic area, dimension and weight, calculations for ring stiffeners and transition pieces. The system also holds reference details for the sizes, diameter and wall thickness, of tubular that can be rolled on-site, so if an item is taken off that matches a record in this table the system will automatically convert the requirement into a plate area.

Once the takeoff has been approved it is passed across to material control. During this process the system consolidates all like items and allocates a tracking number to each. This number is an identifier that remains with the item throughout the project execution and enables an audit trail to be established from identifying the requirement through to purchase, allocation and issue.

Another major feature of this stage of the process is that as items are identified they can also produce man-hour estimates and weights, based on a table of 'norms'. This information can then be included in the project estimate for work that is being bid, or can be used as a basis for monitoring actual man-hours for the work.

Materials Management Brochure