Understanding, planning and using buffer storage correctly. When processes in a company come to a standstill and lead to disruptions, this can have very different causes. The supply of components for production can be delayed and disrupt or block available transport routes. Market demand is subject to fluctuations in demand. Technical problems in the company's own operations can also impair production processes and the associated replenishment. A buffer stock can cushion the aforementioned imponderables.
What is a buffer store?
A buffer warehouse connects two successive process stages to ensure a smooth flow without disruptions in production, picking or delivery.
Advantages and disadvantages
A buffer store offers the following advantages:
- Increasing productivity by utilizing the required space and thus ensuring the supply of the various processes.
- Availability of goods in buffer stock prevents delays in the material flow and interruptions to production processes.
- The connection with other work areas, such as order picking, set formation, replenishment control, but also storage of goods, accelerates the processes.
- The optimal use of storage space also leads to synergy effects.
- Products in the buffer can be subjected to subsequent testing without influencing the process itself.
Disadvantages arise due to:
- Costs for the storage system, equipment and storage (required space, shelves, etc.).
- Organizational and administrative effort of the processes in the buffer warehouse.
Buffer store concept
In a buffer warehouse (also referred to as a short-term storage facility, buffer warehouse or interim storage facility), materials are temporarily stored that are needed again in the production process after a short period of time.
By definition, buffer stock must ensure a rapid and trouble-free production process. Intermediate storage is often required in logistics at incoming and outgoing goods or between two successive production stages. In buffer warehouses, there is usually no fixed storage location for the stored goods. The structure of the buffer store and its size depend on the operational requirements in the process stages, the resulting storage costs and the risk of possible disruptive factors.
When planning a buffer warehouse or short-term warehouse in intralogistics, the available buffer areas, the production program, the storage system and the work processes that are carried out must be taken into account. In order to be able to store the required materials, in addition to sufficient storage space, a continuous and punctual supply of the production process as well as the capacity for incoming goods must be ensured.
In addition, a buffer store must be set up where the goods are needed. It should be located as close as possible to the points of consumption. Buffer storage can be designed as block storage (without racking) or with racking, e.g. as single racking or as a pallet flow racking system (PDS) with shuttle support or also as carousel racking.
Conclusion
Depending on the process step, short-term storage forms a reserve between two work stages and can absorb fluctuations in the process and thus prevent production downtime. There is a direct relationship between the safety and cost-effectiveness of a buffer store.
While a small warehouse with few storage locations in the system can be operated more economically because it causes lower costs, a buffer that is too small can then lead to system downtime. With a large warehouse, safety increases, but the costs for installation and operation also increase.
