decouplingpunten

Decoupling point, or decouplingpunkt in German, is a concept in supply chain and operations management that denotes the point in the chain where demand-driven replenishment begins to influence upstream production and material flow. It is the location where inventory is used to decouple customer demand from production planning, allowing different stages to operate with different lead times and forecasting horizons. Before the decoupling point, processes are typically forecast-driven (push); after it, they are triggered by actual demand (pull).

The position of the decoupling point affects inventory levels, service levels, and responsiveness. It is closely linked to the manufacturing strategy: make-to-stock (MTS) tends to place the decoupling point early, at finished goods inventory; assemble-to-order (ATO) uses subassemblies as decoupling stock; make-to-order (MTO) and engineer-to-order (ETO) place the decoupling point later, sometimes at component or even raw-material procurement depending on the product.

In practice, examples illustrate typical placements. In consumer electronics produced to forecast, the decoupling point is at finished goods. In PCs assembled to order, the decoupling point sits at subassemblies like motherboards and power supplies. In customized machinery or aircraft components, the decoupling point may be at the engineering and procurement stage, with long lead times.

Strategically, locating the decoupling point aims to balance forecast accuracy, service level, and inventory costs; tools include safety stock calculations, service level targets, and scenario planning. Limitations include the fact that the decoupling point is not fixed and can move with demand variability, product variety, and supply chain changes; digitalization and more responsive manufacturing can shift the decoupling point to earlier or later stages. A well-chosen decoupling point helps managers design buffers and align capacity with customer needs.