Posts

Talking Manufacturing with Steve: Beyond Confidence with Divya Parekh on Talk4TV

In case you missed Tuesday’s blog that focused this interview on Steve’s new leadership book Notorious, I’m reblogging it on the TRAC website as much of the conversation was regarding manufacturing obstacles, solutions and the importance of a solid quality management system. Below are the Talk4TV link plus iHeart & Apple Podcast versions:

 Talk4TV Beyond Confidence

iHeart Beyond Confidence Podcast

Apple Beyond Confidence Podcast

 

Here for all your quality needs:

AS9100/ISO 9001, ISO 13485, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, IATF 16949

Steve@tracQMS.com

920-841-3478

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Get Ready for ISO 9001 Version 6

We are well past the normal 5-7 years that a new revision of the ISO 9001 international quality standard gets released. Word on the street is that it may be finished toward the end of 2025 with implementation starting in 2026. CLICK HERE  to continue reading my column on a history of ISO revisions and what significant changes we can expect in the upcoming Version 6.

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Reach out to the industry’s foremost expert on quality management to start planning on your ISO/AS9100 upgrade to the new requirements

Steve@tracQMS.com

920-841-3478

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Occupational Health & Safety: What is ISO 45001 and why do you need it?

ISO 45001 provides significant value to organizations looking to reduce workplace incidents and demonstrate OH&S commitment. ISO 45001 can be seamlessly integrated into your current QMS as an IMS (Integrated Management System). No need to change your QMS structure, numbering scheme or functionality, I work with you to painlessly integrate these into the existing management system.

ISO 45001 establishes criteria for an OH&S policy, objectives, planning, implementation, operation, auditing and review. Key elements include leadership commitment, worker participation, hazard identification and risk assessment, legal and regulatory compliance, emergency contingency planning, incident investigation and continual improvement. Whether you have a union environment or  local requirements, keeping your employees safe is not only a moral and ethical responsibility, but just good business. Near misses, lost time due to accidents and loss in morale are costs that directly erode the bottom line.

ISO 45001 Quality Management Certification Badge. Vector illustration.

Whether you currently hold ISO 9001, ISO 13485, AS9100 or IATF 16949, trust the industry expert, TRAC, to guide you through this transition quickly and efficiently.

Benefits

  • Framework to proactively manage OH&S risks
  • Reduced workplace incidents and injuries
  • Demonstrated commitment to worker health and safety
  • Ensured compliance with OH&S regulations
  • Increased organizational resilience
  • Reduced costs through continual improvement of OH&S performance

Reach out for a free phone consultation to get started.

Steve Williams

President – The Right Approach Consulting

Steve@tracQMS.com

920-841-3478

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Environmental Management: What is ISO 14001 and why do you need it?

Implementing ISO 45001 provides a framework for organizations to design and implement an EMS, and continually improve their environmental performance. ISO 14001 can be seamlessly integrated into your current QMS as an IMS (Integrated Management System). No need to change your QMS structure, numbering scheme or functionality, I work with you to painlessly integrate these into the existing management system.

Many of my clients are getting pressure from their customers, industry and/or local city or village regulatory agencies to attain this certification to improve their environmental compliance. ISO 14001 is a separate certification that encompasses various aspects from resource usage and waste management to monitoring environmental performance and involving stakeholders in environmental commitments.

Whether you currently hold ISO 9001, ISO 13485, AS9100 or IATF 16949, trust the industry expert, TRAC, to guide you through this transition quickly and efficiently.

Benefits

  • Enhanced environmental performance
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Risk management
  • Cost savings
  • Operational excellence
  • Stakeholder and customer trust

Reach out for a free phone consultation to get started.

Steve Williams

President – The Right Approach Consulting

Steve@tracQMS.com

920-841-3478

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Get the TRAC Solution For Most Companies Biggest Problem

One of the most common issues among manufacturing companies is the inability to permanently solve quality issues. Click here to download the program outline.

How many times have you put a solution in place to correct a quality issue only to have it pop back up weeks, or months later? Probably much more than you wish to share. Whether internal scrap and rework, customer returns or process improvement, this issue crosses all industries, but the more complicated the processes involved, the bigger the issue. The primary “root cause” of this is the lack of formal training in the process of root cause analysis. TRAC has created a customized RCA & 8D training program that will be branded to your organization and pay for itself in 30 days.

Reach out to schedule this root cause analysis and 8D training for your organization and start saving money and increase customer satisfaction.

Steve

920-841-3478

Steve@tracQMS.com

 

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TRAC Celebrates Tenth Anniversary

First, I would like to thank the 50+ clients that have believed in my company and enabled me to keep the business going strong heading into year 11. A special thanks to the number of customers that have been with me in various capacities since day one; your loyalty is greatly appreciated. I am also proud to announce a 100% certification track record with my clients across the international standards of AS9100/ISO 9001, ISO 13485, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, IATF 16949, and MIL-PRF-31032.

The company was founded September 30th, 2013, so while the actual 10-year anniversary was last September I am extending the celebration as there will be a special anniversary offer extended to all of my clients over the past 10 years. Separate emails will be sent out to these clients with details, but a summary of the offer is outlined below.

 

10-year QMS Upgrade

Every year I make changes to my core Quality Management System that improves, simplifies and increases efficiency. The system is also updated based on the constantly changing auditor preferences and interpretations of the standard(s). This will be a one-time QMS upgrade that incorporates all the improvements over the past 10 years and that can be accomplished over a one-month period via onsite and online meetings, including training to the new upgrades. Typical results are a 40-50% reduction in procedures, forms, tasks, etc., with an ROI of only 6-months or less. The number of clients in any given month will be limited to allow appropriate time to each client, but the offer will  be extended as many months as needed to accommodate all that are interested.

Once again, many thanks to my clients in helping to achieve this milestone, and I look forward to the next ten!

Steve

 

Contact me for all your quality needs

Steve@tracQMS.com

920-841-3478

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Press Release: Elite RF receives ISO 9001 2015 Certification

PRESS RELEASE

The Right Approach Consulting

March 5, 2024

Hanover Park, IL

Elite RF receives ISO 9001 2015 Certification

I am proud to announce that client Elite RF, an industry-leading RF amplifier and generator manufacturer, has received certification to ISO 9001: 2015 from certifying body IAPMO SCB. The entire management staff put in a tremendous amount of work to make this certification happen, as evidenced by receiving zero findings in their initial certification audit. A special shout out to Deep Patel, VP of Operations, for spearheading the project internally and inspiring a quality culture throughout the organization.

Ami Patel, Chief Administrative Officer & Partner, stated: “Quality is important to us, and getting ISO 9001 certified validates Elite RF’s commitment to maintain a healthy quality system and assure we meet all customer requirements. Customer satisfaction is our #1 priority as stated in our Quality Policy, and ISO will help us hold that promise to our customers. Receiving ISO certification will help our customers know they are in good hands when ordering RF amplifiers or generators from Elite RF. Also, special thanks to Steve Williams of TRAC  for his guidance through our ISO journey.”

About Elite RF

Elite RF has a profound understanding and years of experience in RF/microwave power amplification technology. They focus on 3 product categories – RF Power Amplifiers, Solid-State High-Power Microwave Generators, and RF Ablation Medical Devices, as well as custom RF solutions. The company works diligently toward meeting the needs of its clients in industries such as medical devices, aerospace, military, quantum computing, particle technologies, communication, plasma-based applications (such as lab-grown diamonds, and semiconductor processing) plus many more. Please reach out to them at sales@eliterf.com to discuss your RF/microwave product specifications and they will closely collaborate with your team to develop your idea into a working product.

For more information go to: http://www.eliterfllc.com

Contact Steve for all of your QMS needs.

Steve@tracQMS.com

920-841-3478

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Join me today: IPC Webinar “The Importance of a Good PCB Design Package”

In conjunction with the IPC, join me on this live Webinar Wednesday, March 13th, 2024. Sign up using this registration link to the webinar https://www.ipc.org/event/importance-good-pcb-design-package

 

 

 

 

 

 

Topics Include:

  1. Customer Service Representatives Are Not Engineers
  2. Netlist does not match the manufacturing data
  3. Impedance stackups do not meet impedance requirements
  4. Not using the appropriate material set
  5. Customized CAM adjustments
  6. Designer not understanding fabricator capabilities
  7. Inheriting a design from a competitor
  8. Overdesigning a PCB
  9. Unmanufacturable designs
  10. Lack of designer/fabricator engagement

 

Contact me at:

Steve@tracQMS.com

920-841-3478

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Leadership 101 – The Law of Timing

Good leadership always makes a difference; unfortunately, so does bad leadership. This leadership truth continues as we will be talking about law 19 of the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.

Timing is Everything

How often have we heard this throughout our lives? Too often to count I would suggest.

We don’t have to look around us very far to find examples of both good timing and bad timing. In the context of leadership, there are really only four outcomes for any decision and the first three are a result of poor timing: … Click here to read the entire article http://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1479191-pcb007-sep2022/89?-3478

Contact me to begin your leadership development journey

Steve@tracQMS.com

920-841

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Leadership 101 – The Law of Sacrifice

Early in my career I had no idea what I wanted to do; I got into this business because printed circuit board manufacturing was the family business; back then it was just a starter job and I had no idea that it would turn in to a 47-year (and counting) career path.

After years of working, hearing both internal and customer complaints and noticing what things work and what did not, I began to find my groove and decided to position myself to make a difference and change the things I could influence. Click here to read the rest of the article http://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1464867-pcb007-apr2022/77?

 

TRAC is here for all your quality & leadership needs.

Steve@tracQMS.com

920-841-3478

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