Posts

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PCB Vertical Integration: From a Master’s Thesis to Reality

Vertical integration in PCB fabrication is a genuinely contested strategic question with real tradeoffs on both sides. The core tension: fabricators that integrate up into design and down into assembly gain margin and stickiness, but risk diluting their manufacturing focus and alienating the EMS and design-house partners they depend on. My latest IConnect PCB007 column on The Pros & Cons of PCB Vertical Integration compares the results of my MBA thesis 25 years ago to today’s reality. Has anything changed? Read the article and find out by clicking on this link: THE PROS & CONS OF PCB VERTICAL INTEGRATION

Reach out to the industry leader for all of your quality and leadership needs at:

Steve@tracQMS.com

920-841-3478

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Reflections on 50 YEARS in the Business, Part 3

The final installment of this three-part series looking back on my 50 years in the business will focus on my current state; small business owner of a Quality Management consulting business, Author and Certified Leadership expert. Click here to read Part 3

Put my 50 years of experience to work for you!

Steve@tracQMS.com

920-841-3478

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Reflections on 50 YEARS in the Business, Part 2

Read Part 2 here https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1543307-i007-feb2026/63?

Continuing with the second installment of this three-part series looking back on my 50 years in the business, I’ll focus on my move up the food chain from manufacturing PCBs to managing PCB suppliers and the unique experience gained from working with the best companies in the world.

Reach out to put my 50 years to work for you!

Steve@tracQMS.com

920-841-3478

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Milwaukee Electronics Achieves AS9100D: 2016 Certification

PRESS RELEASE

The Right Approach Consulting

July 10, 2025

Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee Electronics Achieves AS9100D: 2016 Certification. I am proud to announce that the Milwaukee division of client Milwaukee Electronics has upgraded their QMS from ISO 9001: 2015 and received certification to AS9100D: 2016 from certifying body TUV Rheinland. Corporate Director of Quality Bob Willenbring, the quality team and entire leadership team were highly engaged with the goal of driving organizational improvement during this transition. I would like to extend my thanks to the team for their hard work and dedication throughout this project.

“A huge thank you to Steve Williams and The Right Approach Consulting for his leadership and guidance as we achieved our AS9100 certification in six months!  Steve’s expertise and ability to help our team understand the requirements and meet them in a way that fit our organization was instrumental to this achievement!”

Bob Willenbring, Quality Director, Milwaukee Electronics.

About Milwaukee Electronics

A message from CEO Jered Stoehr:

“Milwaukee Electronics was founded in 1954, offering services in circuit board design and PCBA assembly to the mining industry in the Wisconsin, USA, region. My father, P. Michael Stoehr purchased the company in 1985 with the mission of creating a business that would put customers first and be a fulfilling place to work for the employees serving those customers.

As the second generation to take the Chief Executive helm, it is very important to me to carry on my father’s customers-first legacy and to ensure that Milwaukee Electronics maintains the entrepreneurial spirit that has allowed the company to continually expand its range of services, maintain decades long customer relationships and provide careers for many dedicated employees.”

Milwaukee Electronics has three manufacturing facilities, Milwaukee WI, Portland OR and Tecate Mexico, a Tech Center in Pune India, and a Purchasing Office in Singapore providing services including:

  • Program management including supply chain and logistics management
  • Quick-turn prototype and on-demand manufacturing
  • End-to-end electronics manufacturing services including PCBA, box build and test

For more information go to: https://www.milwaukeeelectronics.com

Contact me to start your AS9100 journey.

920-841-3478

Steve@tracQMS.com

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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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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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Talking Ultra HDI with John Johnson Pt. 2

Continuing with the second in my 3-part interview with ASC’s John Johnson, formerly with Averatek, on the patented A-SAP process that allows PCB manufacturers to produce sub 25-micron (1 mil) pcb trace and space designs with perfectly straight side walls.

Click here to read the entire article: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1512857-design007-dec2023/45?

Contact me for all your quality needs or to schedule your own company marketing interview.

920-941-3478

Steve@tracQMS.com

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Talking Ultra HDI for sub 25-Micron trace and space

Read the first in my 3-part interview with ASC’s John Johnson, formerly with Averatek, on the patented A-SAP process that allows PCB manufacturers to produce sub 25-micron (1 mil) pcb trace and space designs with perfectly straight side walls.

Click here to read the article:   https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1511130-design007-nov2023/59?

 

 

 

 

 

Contact me for all your quality needs or to schedule your own company marketing interview.

920-941-3478

Steve@tracQMS.com

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Doing Business the Elon Musk Way by Dan Beaulieu

Fantastic read by my colleague Dan Beaulieu: Doing business the Elon Musk way! The points Dan makes are appropriate to anyone in any industry and specifically in the world of quality.

https://iconnect007.com/article/137869/its-only-common-sense-doing-business-the-elon-musk-way/137866/pcb

Steve@tracQMS.com

920-841-3478

 

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