Pakar Keselamatan Transportasi di General Motors

Annisa Mutia

Keselamatan transportasi merupakan hal yang sangat penting bagi negara-negara berpopulasi besar, terutama negara maju. Lihat saja aturan keselamatan di Amerika Serikat, Cina, dan India, yang begitu ketatnya diatur dalam sebuah undang-undang. Hingga menjadi lumrah bila penelitian keselamatan transportasi di negara-negara tersebut terus berkembang sangat dinamis.

Seharusnya, Indonesia seba-, gai negara berpenduduk terbesar keempat di dunia, juga memberlakukan peraturan keselamatan transportasi yang sama ketatnya. Namun faktanya, Indonesia justru menjadi salah satu negara dengan undang-undang keselamatan transportasi yang sangat minim, bila tak ingin disebut seadanya. Padahal, di negeri ini jenis kendaraan bermacam-macam.

Itulah penilaian sekaligus kerisauan yang disampaikan Sigit Puji Santosa, doktor keselamat-an transportasi lulusan Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Amerika Serikat. Bukan sekadar pernyataan tanpa bobot, ucapan itu diungkapkan sebagai bagian dari kepedulian sosok pakar keselamatan transportasi yang kini menjabat sebagai Global Manager Engineering kawasan Eropa dan Asia di General Motors Company ini.

"Kita perlu mencontoh Cina, yang sekarang memiliki perundang-undangan transportasi sangat ketat," kata Sigit ketika ditemui Republika di Jakarta, beberapa waktu lalu.

Sigit adalah salah satu ilmuwan Indonesia yang sukses meniti karier di luar negeri. Dia menjadi bagian dari ratusan anggota Ikatan Ilmuwan Indonesia Internasional (1-4) yang mengikuti International Summit

(IS) 2010 di Jakarta, 16-18 Desember 2010.

Karier keilmuan Sigit di Amerika bermula ketika dia mendapat beasiswa S-2 pada 1997 di Department of Mechanical Engineering MIT. Sementara itu, gelar strata satu diraihnya di Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB). Kemudian, pada 1999, Sigit meneruskan pendidikan doktor dalam bidang keselamatan transportasi juga di MIT dan mendapat gelar Doctor of Mechanical Engineering. Penelitiannya berjudul Crashworthiness of Ultralight Metal Structures.

"Saya telah menghasilkan 14 penelitian dan lebih dari 60-an technical paper yang . semuanya tentang keselamatan transportasi," ungkap Si- git saat menceritakan kembali perjalanan keilmuannya.

Meski telah melakukan banyak penelitian pada bidang keselamatan transportasi, baik di MIT maupun penelitian untuk perusahaan tempatnya bekerja, Sigit mengaku kesulitan dalam rriematenkan penelitiannya. "Masalah pengurusan hak paten sangat kompleks. Terlebih lagi, hasil temuan di bidang keselamatan transportasi. Di AS, penelitian tersebut sudah sangat berkembang dan kompetitif," katanya menjelaskan.

Menurut Sigit, tidak semua temuan bisa dipatenkan meski potensi temuan itu banyak. Kendala utama untuk mematenkan di bidang ini lantaran sulitnya proses pa-ten di Amerika. "Apalagi banyak implikasi perundang-undangan," ujarnya.

Sigit mengatakan, perlu kehati-hatian untuk mematenkan suatu temuan. Pasalnya, dalam proses mematenkan temuan, jika tidak berhati-hati, akan menimbulkan hal yang justru tidak menguntungkan. Apalagi, peraturan hak paten di Amerika sangat dinamis, selalu terus berkembang.

"Jadi, kita menjaga rahasia saja untuk perusahaan tempat kita bekerja, teknologinya kita yang tahu atau bisa dibawa di negara berkembang," tutur dia.

Pada pertemuan IS 2010 yang berlangsung belum lama ini, Sigit ikut dalam klaster Inovasi IPTEK. Para ilmuwan yang tergabung dalam klaster itu menyatakan, kerja sama antara ilmuwan Indonesia di luar negeri dan mitranya di dalam negeri untuk pengembangan keilmuan regional development and environment di Indonesia perlu terus dibangun.

Para ilmuwan Indonesia di luar negeri diharapkan pula dapat mengembangkan sumber dayanya di luar negeri untuk kepentingan pembangunan lingkungan, kota, dan wilayah di Indonesia. "Karena penelitian di Indonesia banyak kendalanya, mulai dari teknologi sampai masalah biaya, jadi perlu kerja sama juga dengan pihak swasta untuk membuat inovasi di bidang teknologi," cetus Sigit.

Meski kini lebih banyak menghabiskan waktu di Amerika, Sigit tetap memperhatikan dunia penelitian di Tanah Air. Tanpa ragu, dia bahkan mengkritik iklim penelitian di perguruan tinggi Indonesia yang dinilai belum kondusif karena para dosen lebih banyak disibukkan pada aktivitas pengajaran.

"Penelitian di perguruan tinggi harus ditingkatkan. Sayangnya, selama ini dosen hanya teaching (mengajar), seharusnya mereka juga lebih giat meneliti," ujarnya.

Selain itu, Sigit mengatakan, perguruan tinggi juga perlu membuat suatu konsorsium atau kerja sama dengan kalangan perusahaan swasta atau BUMN agar penelitian dapat berlanjut dan diterapkan ke industri. "Konsorsium harus mulai dikembangkan."

Saat disinggung mengenai banyak anak cerdas dan berbakat Indonesia yang belajardi luar negeri, Sigit menganggap itu bukan masalah. Seperti di India, kata dia, juga banyak pelajarnya yang keluar negeri dan setelah itu kembali ke India membawa modal dan ilmu.

"Maka harus ada kebijakan yang terintegrasi, perlu ada wadah untuk ilmuan dan kalangan industri. Itu pen-" ting karena kalau mau investasi di sini mesti ada technological research," paparnya.

Sigit berjanji akan tetap berkontribusi untuk Indonesia sesuai keahliannya. Namun, sekarang dinilainya bukan waktu yang tepat untuk kembali ke Tanah Air,

Dia ingin menimba ilmu dan keahlian mengenai keselamatan transportasi lebih dalam lagi di negeri Paman Sam. "Perlu pengalaman kerja dan keahlian yang lebih banyak lagi agar ilmunya bisa dibawa pulang," ujarnya. ed budi raharjo


Sumber: http://bataviase.co.id/node/508270

Creating a Logistics Strategy

What Is a Logistics Strategy?

When a company creates a logistics strategy it is defining the service levels at which its logistics organization is at its most cost effective. Because supply chains are constantly changing and evolving, a company may develop a number of logistics strategies for specific product lines, specific countries or specific customers.
Why Implement a Logistics Strategy?

The supply chain constantly changes and that will affect any logistics organization. To adapt to the flexibility of the supply chain, companies should develop and implement a formal logistics strategy. This will allow a company to identify the impact of imminent changes and make organizational or functional changes to ensure service levels are not reduced.
What Is Involved in Developing a Logistic Strategy?

A company can start to develop a logistics strategy by looking at four distinct levels of their logistics organization.

* Strategic: By examining the company’s objectives and strategic supply chain decisions, the logistics strategy should review how the logistics organization contributes to those high-level objectives.
* Structural: The logistics strategy should examine the structural issues of the logistics organization, such as the optimum number of warehouses and distribution centers or what products should be produced at a specific manufacturing plant.
* Functional: Any strategy should review how each separate function in the logistics organization is to achieve functional excellence.
* Implementation: The key to developing a successful logistics strategy is how it is to be implemented across the organization. The plan for implementation will include development or configuration of an information system, introduction of new policies and procedures and the development of a change management plan.

Components to Examine when Developing a Logistics Strategy

When examining the four levels of logistics organization, all components of the operation should be examined to ascertain whether any potential cost benefits can be achieved. There are different component areas for each company but the list should at least include the following:

* Transportation: Does the current transportation strategies help service levels?
* Outsourcing: What outsourcing is used in the logistics function? Would a partnership with a third party logistics company improve service levels?
* Logistics Systems: Do the current logistics systems provide the level of data that is required to successfully implement a logistics strategy or are new systems required?
* Competitors: Review what the competitors offer. Can changes to the company’s customer service improve service levels?
* Information: Is the information that drives the logistics organization real-time and accurate? If the data is inaccurate then the decisions that are made will be in error.
* Strategy Review: Are the objectives of the logistics organization in line with company objectives and strategies.

A successfully implemented logistics strategy is important for companies who are dedicated to keeping service levels at the highest levels possible despite changes that occur in the supply chain.


Logistics & Supply Chain Center (LOGIC)
Widyatama University

First Step

Langkah dalam membuat prosedur adalah dengan melakukan
1. Mapping proses pada bagian-bagian yang terkecil.
Misalnya proses : Menerima, menyimpan, mengeluarkan.
2. Mapping masing-masing proses dengan membagi pekerjaan tersebut
input - prosesnya - output
3. Dari langkah tersebut akan mempermudah kita untuk menentukan prosedur.

Delivery Time

Beberapa faktor delivery time:
1. Traffic Jam. Sedapat mungkin hindari waktu dan tempat yang sering terjadi kemacetan
2. Proses konsolidasi kendaraan pengangkut barang lama sehingga barang tidak langsung sampai ke tujuan. Ini bisa diatasi dengan sistem charter atau negosiasi awal pada jasa ekpedisi untuk memastikan barang bisa langsung jalan atau tidak.
3. Faktor alam (jalan rusak, gelombang laut tinggi).
4. Human error (missroute, sopir nakal). Gunakan GPS, terapkan system rewards
and punishment

Supply Chain

Tujuan utama dari Supply Chain adalah bagaimana perusahaan dapat mencapai tujuan menyiapkan produk dalam jumlah yang tepat, pada saat yang tepat, dilokasi yang tepat, dengan kondisi/kualitas yang tepat, bagi pelanggan yang tepat, dan semua itu dengan biaya yang tepat (sering kali adalah yang paling cost efficient).

Untuk mencapai hal tersebut harus melakukan Demand Planning yang sempurna, Strategi sourcing yang tepat, Strategi produksi yang paling ekonomis dan timely, dan strategy distribusi yang cost efficient.

Keempat fungsi tersebut adalah inti dari Supply Chain.

Kalau Logistics lebih mengacu pada taktik eksekusi dari strategi supply chain yang sudah ditentukan di atas.

Manajemen Pergudangan

Manajemen Pergudangan adalah suatu sistem dari bagian aktivitas Logistik. Manajemen pergudangan mencakup kegiatan dari mulai penerimaan, penyimpanan, pemeliharaan dan pengeluaran barang dengan tata cara atau prosedur yang baku, agar selalu up to date(accountable, auditable and controlabel).

Forecasting In The Supply Chain

Introduction

In the modern supply chain, forecasting is necessary for companies that manufacture items for inventory and that are not made to order. Manufacturers will use material forecasting to ensure that they produce the level of material that satisfies their customers without producing an overcapacity situation where too much inventory is produced and remains on the shelf. Equally, the forecast must not fall short and the manufacturer finds them without inventory to fulfill customer’s orders. The cost of failing to maintain an accurate forecast can be financially catastrophic.

Forecasts are developed for a company’s finished goods, components and service parts. The forecast is used by the production team to develop production or purchase order triggers, quantities and safety stock levels. The forecast is not static and should be reviewed by management on a regular basis. This is to ensure that information on future trends, the internal or external environment is incorporated into the forecast to give a more accurate calculation.
Statistical Forecasting

In supply chain management software, the forecast is a calculation that is fed data from real time transactions and is based on a set of variables that are configured for a number of statistical forecast situations. Planning professionals are required to use the software to provide the best forecast situation possible and often this is left unchecked without any review for long periods. To best use the forecasting techniques in the supply chain software, planners should review their decisions with respect to the internal and external environment. They should adjust the calculation to provide a more accurate forecast based on the current information they have.

Statistical forecasts are best estimates of what will occur in the future based on the demand that has occurred in the past. Historical demand data can be used to produce a forecast using simple linear regression. This gives equal weighting to the demand of the historical periods and projects the demand into the future. However, forecasts today give greater emphasis on the more recent demand data than the older data. This is called smoothing and is produced by giving more weight to the recent data. Exponential smoothing refers to ever-greater weighting given to the more recent historical periods. Therefore a period two months ago has a greater weighting than a period six months ago. The weighting is called the Alpha Factor and the higher the weighting, or Alpha factor the fewer historical periods are used to create the forecast. For example, a high Alpha factor gives high weighting to recent periods and demand from periods for a year or two years ago are weighted so lightly that they have no bearing on the overall forecast. A low Alpha factor means historical data is more relevant to the forecast.

Historical periods generally contain demand data from a fixed month, i.e. June or July. However, this introduces error into the calculation as some months have more days than other months and the number of workdays can vary. Some companies use daily demand to alleviate this error, although if the forecaster understands the error, monthly historical periods can be used along with a tracking indicator to identify when the forecast deviates significantly from the actual demand. The level at which the tracking signal flags the deviation is determined by the forecaster or software and vary between industries, companies and products. A small deviation may require intervention when the product being forecasted is high-value, whereas a low-value item may not require the forecast be scrutinized to such a high level.
Non-Statistical Forecasting

Non-statistical forecasting is found in supply chain management software where demand is forecasted based on quantities determined by the production planners. This occurs when the planner enters in a subjective quantity that they believe the demand will be without any reference to historical demand. The other non-statistical forecasting that occurs is when demand for an item is based on the results of materials requirements planning (MRP) runs. This takes the demand for the finished good and explodes the bill of materials so that a demand is calculated for the component parts. The component demand can then be amended by the planner based on their assessment and knowledge of the current environment. The resulting forecast is based on current demand and will not incorporate any demand from previous periods. Many companies will use a combination of non-statistical and statistical forecasting across their product line.

Statistical forecasting is based on complex calculations and the future demand can be determined based on the demand from historical periods. The forecast gives the planner a guide to future demand, but no forecast is totally accurate and the planners experience and knowledge of the current and future environment is important in determining the future demand for a company’s products.

Source: About.com Guide

For more detail information, you can follow this link

URL: http://logistics.about.com/od/strategicsupplychain/a/Forecasting.htm