Beta Version of MFI Tool Available for Testing
The U.S. manufacturing sector is steadily evolving as next-generation technologies gain traction and change the marketplace. Many of these technologies may be more energy and emissions intensive than current technologies; however, they have the potential for reduced material and energy consumption when properly tracked and analyzed.
Enter NREL's Materials Flows through Industry (MFI) modeling tool.
The MFI tool is a mine-to-materials, linear network model of the U.S. industrial sector that can model a wide range of manufacturing scenarios, including changes in production technology and increases in industrial energy efficiency. The tool performs supply chain analyses to quantify the impacts and benefits of next-generation technologies and materials at that scale.
By analytically tracking the material and energy demands from manufacturing supply chains via the MFI tool, manufacturers can evaluate their energy and emissions reduction potential, leading them to fully understand the benefits and consequences of technology deployment.
Beta Testing
A beta version of the tool is currently available for testing by members of industry, academia, other members of the research community, and the general public. To access the tool and provide feedback, request an account.
User feedback will be used to help strengthen the tool's modeling capabilities and outputs. This will provide a more complete understanding of the energy and emissions impacts of advanced technologies while providing support for other technologies currently being commercialized, such as additive manufacturing.
For more information about the tool and beta testing, see the MFI overview website or contact the MFI development team: Alberta Carpenter, Rebecca Hanes, or Scott Nicholson.
The MFI tool was developed with support from the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Advanced Manufacturing Office.