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BUFFER Solution: Reducing the Distance Between Warehouse and Production
One of the constant challenges in manufacturing environments is reducing the distance from the main warehouse and gaining rapid access to material inventory. In production contexts characterized by frequent scheduling changes, high volumes, and a wide mix of components, this requirement has become increasingly critical in electronics manufacturing.
Having immediate access to verified material quantities needed to support production activities and prepare short-term work orders — without continuously covering the distance between the main warehouse and the production area — can make a significant difference in terms of productivity.
But what exactly do we mean when we talk about a “Buffer” solution, and how can it help companies searching for concrete and effective answers to fight inefficiencies, particularly those hidden within line replenishment processes?
The video we created for Productronica helps illustrate this solution in a simple and schematic way.
The Production Scenario
What we see in the opening scenes of the video is a medium-to-large manufacturing environment characterized by multiple production lines. The company operates a dedicated storage area, physically separated from production, where components are managed through automated storage systems or open shelving solutions.
In this scenario, marked by high production volumes and a large component mix, the Buffer appears as an automated storage area located close to the production lines. However, this is only the visible part of the solution.
What Is the Buffer?
The Buffer is an advanced software module developed by Essegi Automation that uses ISM automated storage systems, from the ISM Ultraflex 3600 series in their various configurations and versions, to Pick To Light systems such as 500 and Smart Rack Mobile, to manage, in real time, the flow of materials required for line replenishment directly within the production area.
The Buffer module is designed to analyze work orders and verify production materials at predefined intervals (typically every four hours), making them available to operators in the required quantities and at the right time for line replenishment.
Thanks to this continuous data processing activity, the system can dynamically reorganize extraction queue whenever production schedules change and immediately send replenishment requests to the main warehouse whenever component stock levels decrease. This eliminates the risk of slowdowns, inefficiencies, and human errors during component picking and delivery operations.
How the Buffer Works
The key factor behind the success of the Buffer solution lies in its ability to create an integrated ecosystem for continuous data exchange between all material management systems operating within the company — from MES to MRP, and from IMS to Pick&Place machines.
From this perspective, the Buffer module represents the most advanced expression of the integration capabilities of the ISM software platform developed by Essegi Automation.
The platform is designed to connect different production and storage data collection systems, creating an extended infrastructure for information exchange and processing that is essential for efficient material flow management in SMT assembly companies.
The creation of such an advanced infrastructure is possible thanks to the native flexibility of the ISM software ecosystem. The system can potentially communicate with all internal management platforms through the development of customized exchange protocols and organize the collected information to make machine replenishment processes safer, faster, and more efficient.
A Dynamic Ecosystem Based on Integration
The critical success factor of the BUFFER module lies in the integration capabilities of the ISM software platform, which synchronizes information from multiple sources to create a single, accurate database and a clear overview of component availability and status inside the warehouse, enabling optimized production planning.
Through advanced connection protocols, the ISM system creates a continuous real-time communication and data update flow that provides the foundation for the most advanced BUFFER control and optimization functions related to picking and kitting operations: from setup import and extraction queue preparation to lifecycle monitoring of expiration-sensitive materials.
As shown in the video, in its physical configuration the BUFFER solution is designed as a modular system tailored to the specific production environment, where each element contributes to building a structured operator-support infrastructure throughout the manufacturing process. A dynamic ecosystem that can integrate the ISM Ultraflex storage towers — including fully automated configurations with AMRs for autonomous component transportation — together with Smart Rack Mobile systems, the new mobile pick-to-light solutions for real-time inventory management directly at line side.
