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Material Flow: Leah T. Torrefiel

Material flow analysis (MFA) is a systematic approach to presenting an overview of materials used in a company. It identifies materials' origin and volumes, as well as waste and emissions. MFA creates a basis for evaluating future developments and defining improvement strategies. MFA involves defining objectives and parameters, the system boundary, time period, process steps, and using flowcharts, balances, and interpretation to quantify material flows within a system.

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Leah Torrefiel
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33 views

Material Flow: Leah T. Torrefiel

Material flow analysis (MFA) is a systematic approach to presenting an overview of materials used in a company. It identifies materials' origin and volumes, as well as waste and emissions. MFA creates a basis for evaluating future developments and defining improvement strategies. MFA involves defining objectives and parameters, the system boundary, time period, process steps, and using flowcharts, balances, and interpretation to quantify material flows within a system.

Uploaded by

Leah Torrefiel
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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MATERIAL

FLOW
Leah T. Torrefiel

DEFINITIONS
MATERIAL FLOW ANALYSIS
TYPES OF CHARTS USED IN REPRESENTING
A MATERIAL FLOW ANALYSIS
PROCEDURE/PROCESS OF MFA

DEFINITIONS:
Material
- the substance of which a thing is
made or composed

Flow
- to move or circulate

MATERIAL
FLOW IN ENGINEERING
MANAGEMENT?

7Ms of Management

Environment

Material Flow Analysis


is a systematic approach aiming:
Presenting an overview of the materials used in a
company;
Identifying the point of origin, the volumes as
well as the causes of waste and emissions;

Creating a basis for an evaluation and


forecast of future developments;
Defining strategies to improve the overall
situation.

A material flow analysis is a systematic


reconstruction of the way a chemical
element, a compound or a material takes
through the natural and/or the economic
cycle.
-German Comission of Inquiry, 1993

TYPES OF CHARTS USED FOR THE GRAPHICAL


REPRESENTATION OF A MATERIAL FLOW
ANALYSIS

Flowcharts representing material flows and


process steps;

Pie charts and histograms illustrating ratios


and compositions;

Time-travel diagrams showing time relations;

Sankey diagrams visualizing material flows


true to scale.

HOW TO CARRY OUT A MATERIAL


FLOW ANALYSIS?
1.

Define the objective of the material flow


analysis and the parameters to be
monitored.

2.

Define the balance scope.

3.

Define the balance period.

4.

Identify and define process steps.

5. Draw the flowchart: material flows


qualitative approach.

6.

Draw up balances: material flows


quantitative approach.

7.

Interpret the results and draw


conclusions.

1. DEFINE THE OBJECTIVE OF THE


MATERIAL FLOW ANALYSIS AND THE
PARAMETERS TO BE MONITORED.

What materials are used in the company?

What quantities of materials are processed?

What is their economic value?


What quantities of waste and emissions are
disposed of at the end of the production process?

2. DEFINE THE BALANCE SCOPE.

either comprise the company as a whole or be


limited to individual processes

3. DEFINE THE BALANCE PERIOD.

a year, a month, a production batch or a week of


production

4. IDENTIFY AND DEFINE PROCESS STEPS.


5. DRAW THE FLOWCHART: MATERIAL
FLOWS QUALITATIVE APPROACH.

processes are divided into steps and represented


in a flowchart

6. DRAW UP BALANCES: MATERIAL FLOWS


QUANTITATIVE APPROACH.

the mass input into an element has to be


equivalent to the output

7. INTERPRET THE RESULTS AND DRAW


CONCLUSIONS.

the flowchart is interpreted.

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