What is safety stock?

The buffer that absorbs demand spikes and late deliveries.

Safety stock is inventory held above expected usage to absorb variability — a surge in consumption or a supplier that delivers late. The right level depends on how critical the part is and how unreliable supply is.

Critical spares with long lead times carry real safety stock; cheap common items carry little. Setting it by criticality and lead time beats flat min levels — the goal is insurance where failure actually hurts.

• How it's used