{{Short description, Bill of quantities, in engineering and construction Material take off (MTO) is a term used in

engineering Engineering is the practice of using natural science, mathematics, and the engineering design process to Problem solving#Engineering, solve problems within technology, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve Systems engineering, s ...

and

construction Construction are processes involved in delivering buildings, infrastructure, industrial facilities, and associated activities through to the end of their life. It typically starts with planning, financing, and design that continues until the a ...

, and refers to a list of

material A material is a matter, substance or mixture of substances that constitutes an Physical object, object. Materials can be pure or impure, living or non-living matter. Materials can be classified on the basis of their physical property, physical ...

s with quantities and types (such as specific grades of

steel Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon that demonstrates improved mechanical properties compared to the pure form of iron. Due to steel's high Young's modulus, elastic modulus, Yield (engineering), yield strength, Fracture, fracture strength a ...

) that are required to build a designed structure or item. This list is generated by analysis of a

blueprint A blueprint is a reproduction of a technical drawing or engineering drawing using a contact print process on light-sensitive sheets introduced by Sir John Herschel in 1842. The process allowed rapid and accurate production of an unlimited number ...

or other design document. The list of required materials for construction is sometimes referred to as the material take off list (MTOL). Material take off is not limited to the amount of required material, but also the weight of the items taken off. This is important when dealing with larger structures, allowing the company that does the take off to determine total weight of the item and how best to move the item (if necessary) when construction is completed.

Definition used by the ISA (International Society of Automation)

A material take off (MTO) is the process of analyzing the drawings and determining all the materials required to accomplish the design. Thereafter, the material take off is used to create a

bill of materials A bill of materials or product structure (sometimes bill of material, BOM or associated list) is a list of the raw materials, sub-assemblies, intermediate assemblies, sub-components, parts, and the quantities of each needed to manufacture an Prod ...

(BOM). Procurement and requisition are activities that occur after the bill of materials is complete, distinct from Inspection.

References

*Whitt, Successful Instrument and Control System Design, ISA Press, 2004. Engineering concepts The final stages of the MTO is as instrumentally visible in the GAD (General Arrangement Drawing) for specific equipment. The MTO sheet is such an important document in projects as it presents a huge detail such as list of all Materials, quantities, weights, material types, material codes etc.