Direct Answer
Efficient material procurement for structural steel runs in two waves: (1) long-lead structural sections ordered from a preliminary BOM immediately at project start, and (2) connection and miscellaneous material ordered from the final IFC BOM. Use a purchase order tracking system to match received material against the BOM, and verify each delivery with mill certifications before accepting.
Full Explanation
Material procurement steps: (1) Preliminary BOM received from detailer — order W-shapes, HSS, pipe, and any non-standard sections. (2) IFC BOM received — reconcile against purchase orders; order remaining plate, angles, clips, bolts, and hardware. (3) For each PO, receive mill certifications with the material. (4) Receiving department checks section size, length, heat number, and MTR before accepting. (5) Material tagged with heat number and staged by work order. (6) Any discrepancies (wrong grade, wrong size) flagged immediately to the supplier — do not process discrepant material.
What This Means for Your Shop
Material procurement that outpaces detailing — ordering material from design drawings rather than the IFC BOM — results in either under-ordering (connections not yet designed) or over-ordering (designs change after the order). The preliminary BOM strategy threads this needle: buy long-lead material early, but buy connection material later.
Common Mistakes
Ordering all material from the preliminary BOM, including plate and connection hardware, and then having to return or waste material when connection designs change during the detailing process.
Recommended Process
Split procurement into two tiers: (1) Tier 1 (long-lead, ordered at project start from preliminary BOM): W-shapes, HSS, non-standard sections. (2) Tier 2 (ordered at IFC BOM): plate, angles, bolts, anchors, shear studs, hardware.