refillmodeller

Refillmodeller is a term used in operations research and sustainability contexts to describe a modeling approach or software component that simulates and analyzes refill-based replenishment systems. It addresses scenarios in which products, containers, or resources are replenished through refilling rather than replacement, with the aim of understanding dynamics, optimizing inventory, and reducing waste.

A refillmodeller typically represents the system as a set of entities (items, containers) and processes (usage, refilling, lead times) and uses mathematical or simulation techniques to estimate performance measures such as service level, average stock, fill rate, and waste or surplus.

Applications include consumer packaging with refillable bottles, pharmaceutical refill scheduling, vending or dispensing systems, and industrial processes that use bulk materials delivered via refills.

Common methods involve stochastic modeling, renewal processes, Markov chains, discrete-event simulation, and Monte Carlo experiments. Inputs may include usage rate, refill interval, failure rates, transit times, and capacity constraints. Outputs are expected inventories, optimal refill policies, and cost or sustainability metrics.

Advantages include potential reductions in material use and waste, improved inventory control, and flexibility to adapt to demand changes. Limitations involve data requirements, model assumptions, computational complexity, and the need for careful validation against real-world behavior.

The term is used in various research and industry discussions to describe a class of models rather than a single standard tool, and it overlaps with traditional replenishment and lot-sizing concepts. See also replenishment theory, discrete-event simulation, and sustainable logistics.