Bufferinventaris

Bufferinventaris, or buffer inventory, is a reserve of stock kept to absorb variability in demand or supply. It acts as a cushion to reduce the risk of stockouts, production stoppages, or missed delivery windows. In practice, bufferinventaris can take several forms, including safety stock held to cover demand during lead time, decoupling stock placed to separate stages of a production process, and pipeline stock representing items already in transit.

The main purpose of bufferinventaris is to improve service levels and operational stability. Safety stock is the most common type, designed to cover uncertain demand or supplier delays. Decoupling stock prevents one process from being bottlenecked by another, while pipeline stock accounts for items in transit whose arrival is not immediately predictable.

Management of bufferinventaris typically relies on inventory policies that relate stock levels to service targets. A common approach is to set a reorder point equal to the expected demand during lead time plus safety stock. Safety stock can be estimated as SS = Z × σDL, where Z corresponds to the desired service level and σDL is the standard deviation of demand during the lead time. More advanced methods may use periodic reviews, stochastic forecasting, or continuous monitoring to adjust buffer levels in response to changing variability and lead times.

Benefits of bufferinventaris include higher order fill rates, smoother production schedules, and reduced risk of disruption. However, excessive bufferinventaris increases carrying costs and the risk of obsolescence. Effective use requires aligning buffer levels with demand patterns, lead times, and cost trade-offs, often supported by ERP and inventory optimization tools.