It’s Only Common Sense: Creativity Is Noisy, Messy, and So Worth It
Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: ‘The Soul of a New Machine’
The Right Approach
Column from: Steve Williams
Steve Williams has the passion for helping companies interested in Getting to Great. He's spent the first half of his career in senior management with a number of highly successful manufacturing companies, and the second half in strategic sourcing managing a global supply base of custom fabricators.
Steve is the author of the book Survival Is Not Mandatory: 10 Things Every CEO Should Know About Lean.
April 21, 2026
The Right Approach: The End of an Era—DoD Proposes MIL-PRF-31032 Cancellation
The Defense Logistics Agency has initiated formal proceedings to cancel the military's primary performance specification for printed circuit boards, a move that could reshape how the U.S. defense industrial base qualifies and sources one of its most critical electronic components. On March 4, 2026, DLA Weapons Support issued a memorandum to military and industry coordination activities announcing that MIL-PRF-31032, along with its six associated specification sheets, has been proposed for cancellation. A 30-day comment period was allotted, with concurrence or comments due by April 3, 2026.March 31, 2026
The Right Approach: Reflections on 50 Years in the Business, Part 3
Waking up that first day in 2013 after being informed my position of 15 years had been eliminated, I realized that everything I had done in my career had positioned me for a new chapter. This included the hands-on leadership experience in PCB manufacturing, learning from over 1,000 global companies, and my industry exposure while working at Plexus. My passion for writing, educating, speaking, and passing along my experience to others made it clear that this was the time to pursue my dream job: owning a consulting company.March 11, 2026
The Right Approach: Reflections on 50 Years in the Business, Part 2
In 1998, I had just reunited with my high school sweetheart (now my wife) when my Dad, the vice president of Plexus, told me they were looking for a PCB commodity manager with subject matter expertise. I interviewed for the position and became the global PCB commodity manager for Plexus, which had been my largest customer. They would not have offered me the position without my undergraduate degree.February 10, 2026
The Right Approach: Reflections on 50 Years in the Business, Part 1
Last September and October, I wrote a two-part column, "Electro-Tek: A Williams Family Legacy Part 1" and "Electro-Tek: A Williams Family Legacy Part 2," which prompted me to reflect on the changes I have witnessed over the past 50 years in the PCB and broader electronics industry. The prior articles focused on the family business and my dad, so a follow-up on my journey is a logical next step. In this new three part series, I will be looking back as 2026 marks my 50th year in the business, beginning with the first 22 years of my career manufacturing PCBs.January 08, 2026
The Right Approach: The Uncomfortable Truth Behind Government Shutdowns
This is not a political piece. Government shutdowns, like the one we experienced in November, hurt everyone, and our industry is feeling the impact. My MilAero/Defense clients are reporting business softening because of the stalling of new programs and economic uncertainty. You may be surprised to find that history reveals the strategy behind shutdowns as well as the solutions.November 13, 2025
The Right Approach: Electro-Tek—A Williams Family Legacy, Part 2
In Part 2 of the history of Electro-Tek, columnist Steve Williams discusses the ups of downs of being part of a family business, the transfer of the business, and lessons gained from the experiences. The business is one of the earliest and most enduring PCB manufacturers in the industry. The closing of Electro-Tek after 56 years prompted Steve to tell his family's story.October 15, 2025
The Right Approach: Electro-Tek—A Williams Family Legacy, Part 1
There is no bronze bust in the lobby or portrait in the conference room of Electro-Tek's founder—my Dad, Charles “Chuck” Williams—so with the facility closing last year after 56 years, I feel it is time to tell the story. Chuck Williams founded Electro-Tek in 1968 in our basement, eventually moving into the second floor of an old 1913 building in downtown Milwaukee that is still standing (the first of three eventual facilities).September 10, 2025
The Right Approach: Get Ready for ISO 9001 Version 6
We are well past the normal five to seven years that a new revision of the ISO 9001 international quality standard gets released. It may be finished toward the end of 2025, with implementation starting in 2026, and there will be as many significant changes as we saw in the current 2015 version.December 23, 2024
The Right Approach: ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (Harley-style)
As we are in the middle of the holiday season with Christmas fast approaching, I thought it an appropriate time for a break from the typical technical topics and perhaps give everyone a chuckle. I wrote this a number of years back before Nancy and I sold our Harleys, but we never really left the lifestyle. Once a biker, always a biker.April 25, 2024
The Right Approach: I Hear the Train A Comin'
Training is often an afterthought in many organizations, and the longer a company has been in business, the more this seems to apply. Over the past couple of decades, it has been amazing to observe that the biggest offenders of this are the companies that overuse the sound bite, “Our most important assets are our people.” When you dig into the process and peel back the onion, their commitment to training is not commensurate with that statement.February 26, 2024
The Right Approach: Culture Change is Key to a QMS
Why is organizational change needed? Because in America, people tend to accept that a certain amount of error is normal. You expect the plane to be late. You expect the mail to be undelivered. You expect consumer electronics and products to break down. This translates to our manufacturing operations as well.June 13, 2023
The Right Approach: Leadership 101—Be a Heretic, Not a Sheep
True leaders drive change. They are not afraid of swimming against the current. Managers, however, drive the status quo. Their mentality of “that is the way we have always done it” feels safe and comfortable. Leadership is hard, and it can mean seeing things from an outsider’s point of view, of challenging that status quo because you know it drives toward positive change.April 18, 2023
The Right Approach: Leadership 101—The Law of Legacy
Legacy is what you leave behind; how you will be remembered. This is 100% in your control, and everyone can write the ending to their own life story. What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind once you’ve moved on from your leadership position? For most people, legacy is all about what they have personally achieved: their successes, awards, and accomplishments; in other words, the things they leave behind. For leaders, these things are certainly part of their legacy, but their lasting value as a leader is in the people they leave behind.November 18, 2022
The Right Approach: Leadership 101: The Law of Explosive Growth
Good leadership always makes a difference; unfortunately, so does bad leadership. This leadership truth continues as we will be talking about law 20 of the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Referencing my past articles on the prior 19 laws, do you remember the difference between a manager and a leader? A manager does what’s right, a leader does the right thing. There is a corollary with the above quote and the manager/leader discussion in that they are both about taking your leadership to the next level. Another recurring theme across the leadership laws is the concept that developing leadership skills in those you lead is the fastest way to improve your leadership skills.October 14, 2022
The Right Approach: 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. How often have we heard that timing is everything throughout our lives? Too often to count I would suggest. We don’t have to look 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.May 10, 2022
The Right Approach: The Law of Sacrifice
If you truly want to become a great leader you must be willing to make sacrifices. There are four rules to keep in mind to this end: There is no success without sacrifice. Leaders are often asked to give up more than others. You must keep giving up to stay up. The higher the level of leadership, the greater the sacrifice needed. Do you agree with these? Read on for more details.April 07, 2022
The Right Approach: The Law of Priorities
There are three questions to ask yourself to understand the Law of Priorities that must be embraced during the journey to become a great leader: What is required that only I can do? What gives the greatest return? What brings the greatest reward? Let's dig in and discover how to embrace these principles in your leadership.March 02, 2022
The Right Approach: The Laws of Victory and Momentum
Good leadership always makes a difference; unfortunately, so does bad leadership. This leadership truth continues as we will be talking about law 15 and 16 of the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Great leaders are committed to victory and make things happen, period. One of the most enduring mantras in leadership is “Never ask a follower to do something you are not willing to do yourself.”February 03, 2022
The Right Approach: Leadership 101—The Laws of the Picture and Buy-in
Good leadership always makes a difference; unfortunately, so does bad leadership. This leadership truth continues as we will be talking about laws 13 and 14 of the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. I am sure that everyone remembers the childhood phrase “Monkey see, monkey do.” When boiled down this is exactly what the Law of the Picture teaches. As with most of the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, they play off very basic human nature attributes; in this case it is the tendency of people to mimic the behaviors of their leaders. When a leader demonstrates behaviors that lead to success, people follow. But the same is true when a leader demonstrates bad behaviors. So, how do you take measure of yourself?October 28, 2021
The Right Approach: Leadership 101—The Law of Empowerment
Good leadership always makes a difference; unfortunately, so does bad leadership. This leadership truth continues as we will be talking about the12th of the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, which states that only secure leaders give their power to others.September 28, 2021
The Right Approach: Leadership 101—The Law of the Inner Circle
Good leadership always makes a difference; unfortunately, so does bad leadership. This leadership truth continues as we will be talking about the 11th of the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.August 30, 2021
The Right Approach: The Laws of E.F. Hutton and Connection
Good leadership always makes a difference; unfortunately, so does bad leadership. This leadership truth continues as we will be talking about the10th of the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: When people speak, leaders listen.August 02, 2021
The Right Approach: The Laws of Respect, Intuition, and Magnetism
Good leadership always makes a difference; unfortunately, so does bad leadership. This leadership truth continues as we will be talking about the seventh, eighth and ninth of the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.June 24, 2021
The Right Approach: Leadership 101—The Laws of Navigation, Addition and Solid Ground
Good leadership always makes a difference; unfortunately, so does bad leadership. This leadership truth continues as we will be talking about the fourth and fifth of the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.May 25, 2021
The Right Approach: Leadership 101—The Law of Process
Good leadership always makes a difference; unfortunately, so does bad leadership. This leadership truth continues as we will be talking about the third of the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, The Law of Process.April 27, 2021
The Right Approach: Leadership 101—The Law of Influence
Good leadership always makes a difference; unfortunately, so does bad leadership. This leadership truth continues as we will be talking about the xecond of the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, The Law of Influence.February 18, 2021
The Right Approach: Leadership 101—The Law of the Lid
In this second installment of Leadership 101, it is wise to review the premise of this series: Good leadership always makes a difference; unfortunately, so does bad leadership. Here, Steve Williams discusses the first of 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, The Law of the Lid.January 27, 2021
The Right Approach: Leadership 101—Leadership is Hard
Good leadership always makes a difference; unfortunately, so does bad leadership. Leadership is not easy to learn; if it was, everyone would be a leader. This Leadership 101 series will provide practical leadership tools and principles that can be applied immediately with your team.December 31, 2020
The Right Approach: Simplify Your QMS Documentation Through KISS, Part 2
While documentation is often viewed as a necessary evil, it is a very important aspect of any quality system but needs to be functional. In Part 2 of this series, Steve Williams concludes with more tips and techniques to simplify and streamline your QMS documentation.November 24, 2020
The Right Approach: Simplify Your QMS Documentation Through KISS, Part 1
While documentation is often viewed as a necessary evil, it is a very important aspect of any quality system but needs to be functional. The documentation system needs to be lean, mean, and user-friendly to the workforce. Steve Wiliams describes the KISS Principle: Keep it simple, Steve.September 01, 2020
The Right Approach: Leadership Lessons I Learned From Sonny Barger
Countless books have been written about the great leaders throughout history who have served as role models for generations of business executives. But what about the lessons that can be learned from the names you won’t typically find in the business section of your local bookstore? Steve Williams discusses leadership lessons he learned from Sonny Barger.July 27, 2020
The Right Approach: Guerilla Tactics to Pass Any QMS Audit, Part 4
Concluding Steve Williams' four-part series on “Guerilla Tactics to Pass Any QMS Audit,” he shares Tactic 10 on techniques to reverse a finding.February 15, 2020
The Right Approach: The Founding Fathers of Quality—Ishikawa and Shewhart
This column continues the series of installments, each highlighting one of the seven founding fathers of quality (as selected by the author). It is important to understand and acknowledge their revolutionary contributions that still form the foundation of modern quality practices.January 18, 2020
The Right Approach: The Founding Fathers of Quality–Juran and Crosby
This column continues the series of installments, each highlighting one of the seven founding fathers of quality (as selected by the author). It is important to understand and acknowledge their revolutionary contributions that still form the foundation of modern quality practices.June 29, 2020
The Right Approach: Guerilla Tactics to Pass Any QMS Audit, Part 3
Continuing the series, “Guerilla Tactics to Pass Any QMS Audit,” Steve Williams shares Tactic 9, which includes documentation tips to avoid audit "dings."May 26, 2020
The Right Approach: Guerilla Tactics to Pass Any QMS Audit, Part 2
Continuing March’s Part 1 column on “Guerilla Tactics to Pass Any QMS Audit,” Steve Williams covers tactics 5–8 and hopes you find a number of solid strategies you can apply immediately to improve your audit success.March 25, 2020
The Right Approach: Guerilla Tactics to Pass Any QMS Audit, Part 1
"Guerrilla tactics" was chosen as the name for this series to reflect a number of nontraditional, take-no-prisoner concepts, techniques, and tactics that were born in the quality trenches and will guide any company to a successful audit result. In Part 1, Steve Williams covers four tactics to pass any QMS audit.June 09, 2020
The Right Approach: 5 Reasons I Am Already Over Our ‘New Normal’
Steve Williams captures his perspective on COVID-19 changes and shares his top five reasons why he is over the "new normal" based on his experiences over the last few weeks, indicating what the near future is going to look like.December 26, 2019
The Right Approach: The Founding Fathers of Quality—W. Edwards Deming
This column begins a series of seven installments, each highlighting one of the seven founding fathers of quality (as selected by the author). Steve Williams explains why it is important to understand and acknowledge their revolutionary contributions that still form the foundation of modern quality practices.December 13, 2019
The Right Approach: Making Quality Initiatives Fun
How do you overcome resistance and gain employee buy-in when implementing a new initiative, especially one that is generally seen as dry and boring, such as a quality management system? Follow Law 2 from Quality 101 Handbook: The Biggest Little Book on Quality You’ll Ever Need. For the sake of continuity, Law 1 states, “Never fear an unexpected customer visit.” If every employee lives and breathes the quality system every day, there will never be a need for an audit-prep panic. In this column, I will focus on Law 2.September 16, 2019
The Right Approach: A Conversation With Prototron’s Van Chiem
I recently spoke with Van Chiem, a process engineer with Prototron Circuits, about developing in-house flex and rigid-flex processes and capabilities at their facility in Tucson, Arizona.July 30, 2019
A Conversation With Prototron's Van Chiem
Van Chiem, a process engineer with Prototron Circuits, recently spoke with Steve Williams about developing in-house flex and rigid-flex processes and capabilities at their facility in Tucson, Arizona.June 07, 2019
Help Wanted! How to Train New Employees in Today’s Digital World
In six short years, millennials will make up around 50% of the global working population. With our ever-increasing culture of information overload since the mobile revolution began, attention spans have been shrinking. While millennials seem to be the subject of much of the reporting on Digital-Age attention spans, the effect can be seen across all age ranges. How can you train anyone in this environment? Read on.April 18, 2019
The New Frontier of Manufacturing
While M2M and H2M connectivity are the primary focus of Industry 4.0, the true underlying benefit of Industry 4.0 comes in the form of machine-to-business (M2B) connectivity or the "machine-as-a-service" concept. This is changing the way we purchase equipment.March 01, 2019
The Right Approach: Industry 5.0—Can We Learn From Other Industries?
The last few IPC APEX EXPO events have focused heavily on Industry 4.0, which is all about the Internet of Things (IoT), automation, and data exchange between machines.February 06, 2019
The Right Approach: Star Trek Inspires Medical Technology—An Update
Today, most of us have used some kind of wearable device to monitor our steps, exercise, heart rate, etc. However, as an eight-year-old watching Star Trek with my dad and younger brother in the late 1960s, this wearable technology would have been thought to be crazy.October 30, 2018
Global Sourcing: The 5 Cs of Choosing the Right PCB Supplier
Global sourcing is a complex process and choosing a supplier is always an important decision. The higher the technology, the more important the process for choosing the right one. Considering the highly complicated process of manufacturing printed circuit boards, these guidelines will assist in your decision.July 17, 2018
The Right Approach: The Value of Coopetition
As our industry continues to evolve and shape-shift, printed circuit board manufacturing continues to shrink through consolidations and attrition. Unfortunately, this trend will most likely continue, albeit at a slower pace than over the last decade. In what has truly become a global economy, partnering with worldclass suppliers is mandatory, and excluding a sub-set of this dwindling supply base because they also happen to be in a crossover business will severely hinder this effort.May 22, 2018
The Right Approach: International Automotive Task Force (IATF) 16949 Standard, Explained
While this list is not all-inclusive, it will give organizations an idea of what they are signing up for by pursuing IATF 16949 QMS certification. The standard is very demanding and requires a high level of discipline, but as they say, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger!”May 04, 2018
The Right Approach: The Rebirth of Made in America
I have been on the record for the past 10 years saying that jobs we lost overseas may move out of China to a new low-cost country, but they were never coming back. I have never been happier to be wrong! I talk to a lot of CEOs, and the first question I ask is, “How’s business?” The answers are overwhelmingly positive, and it is clear that their optimism is at a level not seen for over a decade. America as a low-cost country. Think about that.February 16, 2018
Willy Wonka: The Lean Case Study
No matter where my travels take me, I hear a wide and limitless supply of excuses for why Lean will not work in “my” organization. One of my favorite ways of illustrating that Lean will indeed work anywhere is to take a Lean look at a very unlikely organization, Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.January 03, 2018
The Right Approach: Culture Shift is Key to Quality Improvement
Any major initiative, whether implementing ISO, lean manufacturing or introducing a new product, requires culture change. How this change is managed will be the difference between success or failure of the project. This column will offer some fundamental elements that will help navigate your next major implementation by shifting the culture.November 14, 2017
The Right Approach: Steve’s Particular Set of Skills (to become a World-Class Quality Manager)
Being a quality professional today is nothing like it was 20 or 25 years ago; on a personal level, I can attest to this fact. It is no longer adequate to appoint a quality manager simply based on a person’s command of acceptance criteria and industry specifications; in the 21st century, a truly hybrid executive is needed.October 02, 2017
The Right Approach: Navigating Process Change? TPC is the Key
Change is a given. While this adage may be quite true and normally a good thing, it can wreak process engineering havoc in a printed circuit operation. Change is good, but the operative word is controlled change relative to the complex processes involved in manufacturing a printed circuit board.June 23, 2017
The Right Approach: Is Exceptional Service Worth a 40% Cost Increase?
“When did this happen?” I asked myself during a recent visit to my men’s only barber shop as I noticed that my $10 haircut was now $14. While I vaguely remember the price going up a little every couple of years, I really hadn’t been paying attention. This caused me to revisit an article I wrote 10 years ago and research whether this 40% cost increase was reasonable.May 10, 2017
The Right Approach: Finding the Next Generation of 'Board Rats'
Owners of printed circuit board shops across the country are united in their top concern for their businesses: finding new talent. While this problem crosses all industries, what is unique is the complexity and learning curve of our business.February 22, 2017
The Right Approach: Why Trump Will Be Good for Our Industry
Regardless of which side of the political fence you fall on, what matters most around any election are the policy implications. Taking the partisanship out of politics and looking strictly at the Trump policy promises, there is cause for optimism in business.October 20, 2016
The Right Approach: My Leadership Journey
I have been in leadership positions for the majority of my 40-year career, but it has not always been a smooth and natural relationship. With the following three stories, I will attempt to share the lessons learned on my journey as a lifelong student in pursuit of the art of leadership.October 06, 2016
The Right Approach: FOD and the Aerospace Industry
Unless you are currently building aerospace product to AS9100[1] you are probably saying, “What the heck is FOD?” What started out as a requirement to prevent damage to aircraft parts such as engines has been flowed down to any component or assembly including PCBs.June 08, 2016
The Right Approach: Our IoT Lives
In March, at the 2016 IPC APEX EXPO show in Las Vegas, the next big thing everyone was talking about was the Internet of Things (IoT). Equipment manufacturers were standing in line to tout their machines as IoT-capable and just waiting for the industry to catch up. But the IoT has been at play in our personal lives for quite a while…May 19, 2016
The Right Approach: Quick & Easy 6S to Reduce Handling Issues
Handling is often the source of many pain points for PCB fabricators, resulting in rework, scrap and customer returns. Quick & Easy 6S is a fantastic tool to minimize handling risk by reducing product travel and improving shop cleanliness.April 29, 2016
The Right Approach: Best Practices: It’s Only Common Sense
One of the fascinating things about Best Practices is that it is occurring everywhere—and many times without the knowledge of the person or organization doing it! How can this be? Most best practice principles fall under a very old-fashioned ideal that some of us still remember: common sense.April 19, 2016
The Right Approach: Increase Profits by Minimizing Inspection
Identifying and fixing problems instead of foolishly trying to “inspect in quality” by sorting will have a greater impact on profit than raising prices your product, hammering your suppliers for lower costs or most any other traditional profit enhancement initiatives an organization can implement.November 30, 2015
Data Analytics through Statistical Techniques
Many companies get caught in data traps. They focus so heavily on cost and survival that they end up using data as merely a marketing and sales tool. In doing so, they fail to realize the true power of data: It can transform every aspect of a business.October 27, 2015
Cycle Time Reduction with WORK, Part I
Lean, theory of constraints, quick response manufacturing, cross training, and SPC are powerful, tried and true methodologies for process improvement--but they are rooted in high-volume manufacturing environments and don't always play nice in a high-mix, low-volume operation. This article talks about the new WORK manufacturing strategy specifically developed to overcome these shortcomings while capitalizing on their strengths.October 05, 2015
Computer on Wheels
You could say that today's automobile is a "computer on wheels," but from a point of accuracy it would be more like 35 computers on wheels. With printed circuit boards being the backbone of our electronic products, this is major market segment for our industry. In this article, Steve Williams writes about the evolution of automotive electronics, and the future of the industry.July 28, 2015
Supply Chain in the 21st Century
The shift away from vertical integration has pushed the topic of supply chain management to the forefront of strategic planning for many manufacturers. This wide-ranging article talks about supply chain management, a brief history of supply chain innovation, managing supply chain risk, as well as presents the "7 Rights" of supply chain management.May 26, 2015
Best Practices 101: Part 6
One roadblock to achieving the true benefits of best practices is that traditional improvement efforts have always focused on reducing the time of value-added steps; in other words, reducing the amount of time it takes to do something to a product, or touch time.April 06, 2015
Best Practices 101, Part 5: Process Capability
Not every process is a good candidate for statistical control, and that in these instances, alternate process control methods may be required. Steven Williams talks about continuous improvement when it comes to process capability.November 30, 2014
Star Trek Inspires Medical Tech for 2015
Close to 50 years after Dr. Leonard H. "Bones" McCoy of the Starship Enterprise first used a fictional tricorder to scan patients for ailments and anomalies, real-world medical science is turning that science fiction into a reality.November 23, 2014
Best Practices 101, Part 4
"Looking back through the annals of the U.S. PCB industry, when it comes to quality, we have evolved from a reactive, to a proactive mindset. This evolution has led to what is loosely called the zero-defects methodology. The old gold standard of three sigma is no longer acceptable and has gone the way of the dinosaur," writes Columnist Steve Williams.December 23, 2015
Best Practices 101, Part 3
Columnist Steve Williams writes, "Fresh out of training, the value stream mapping (VSM) team often runs out and starts mapping the first process they see. While VSM, if anything, is better than nothing, efforts should be focused on the critical processes having the greatest impact on the product."December 23, 2015
Best Practices 101, Part 2
Process flow diagrams are a great first step, but they don't tell the entire story. Value stream maps add one critical ingredient that standard process flowcharts don't have: Time. Process flowcharts do not capture this important element. They simply present a snapshot of the sequence of steps in the process. Time is essential to understanding how one operation affects another and where your resources are being spent.December 23, 2015
Customer Feedback - Perception is Reality
What does it mean to be world-class? It means being on par with the top performers globally in your chosen craft. There are, of course, numerous quantitative metrics used to measure this, such as turnover, quality certifications, productivity, and the requisite financial ratios. But perhaps the most important metric is qualitative: How do your customers think you're doing?March 30, 2014
Point of View: Capturing Tribal Knowledge
Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, made the following salient proclamation more than 50 years ago: "It's all to do with the training: You can do a lot if you're properly trained." What has held true through the ages is not a secret; people perform better when properly trained.December 23, 2015
Time for a 'Lean Diet'
In the drive to continuous improvement, while Lean is one of the most powerful tools available to organizations, it is also one of the most underutilized. Columnist Steve Williams offers a primer for companies considering the Lean journey.December 23, 2015
2013 - A Look Back
After a very challenging year for the domestic PCB industry, global business conditions are slowly improving. Columnist Steve Williams takes a look back at 2013 and also looks forward to what we can expect for the rest of 2014.December 12, 2013
Point of View: The Value of a Strategic Consultant
New blood, a fresh set of eyes, or an outside perspective: No matter what you call it, the right consultant can add exponential value to any organization. How can you make sure you choose the right consultant and avoid the wrong one?November 14, 2013
Point of View: 3D Printing - Tales from the Road
In September of last year, columnist Steve Williams wrote about the potential of 3D printing to "save" American manufacturing, as it was quickly becoming the new industry buzzword. Fast forward a year and it is clear that 3D printing may be here to stay and not just another passing fad.October 13, 2013
Temporary Process Change
Change is a given. While this adage may be quite true and normally a good thing, it can cause havoc in the documentation system of a printed circuit operation. To be successful, there must be a formal methodology to handle process change.August 23, 2013
Lessons from Lombardi - Not Just for Football Anymore
Columnist Steve Williams writes, "It occurred to me after reading an article in a local paper recently that solid management fundamentals are timeless and cross all industries. It is critical that an organization have a foundation based on a practical management game plan to be in the chase for excellence."August 07, 2013
POV: Operational Excellence Through Continuous Improvement
Continuous improvement is a journey, and as with most things worthwhile, needs to be an integral part of an organization's everyday life. It can only come from people, motivated and committed, learning what they can learn, solving problems that they can solve, and implementing solutions that they develop.July 03, 2013
Point of View: What Do Customers Want?
Mel Gibson was able to read women's minds in the movie "What Women Want." Columnist Steve Williams, on the other hand, believes that he can offer guidance on what customers want.June 14, 2013
Point of View: Unleashing the Power of Teams
One of the most powerful tools in the operational improvement toolbox is not something you can put your hands around, but, if mastered, it can take organizational performance to a new level. Highly-effective teams can make the difference between step function improvement and abject failure.December 01, 2012
Manufacturing Advantage: Japan! Where is the Love for Kanban and Lot Size of One in the U.S.?
More than 50 years ago, American industry rejected the manufacturing tools and techniques of Dr. W. Edwards Deming, while most of Asia welcomed and ran with this guidance. While this has slowly changed, a couple of important concepts still have not been embraced here in the U.S.November 08, 2012
Point of View: RoHS: Six Years After
It is worth taking a look back at the span of six years, and the regulatory implications to our industry stemming from one regulation that has impacted the electronics industry in a mighty big way: RoHS.October 11, 2012
Will 'Old' PCB Technology Save American Manufacturing?
3D printing is a hot topic right now, especially with equipment prices dropping and reports of this incredible technology entering the consumer marketplace. With its origin in the additive process of PCB manufacturing, will this technology save American manufacturing?March 08, 2012
Point of View: A Cautionary Tale
As we all look to improve our manufacturing organizations in 2012 and become leaner and meaner, the fictitious canoe story is a reminder to focus on the right things and concentrate on activities that will improve the bottom line.January 10, 2014
2013: A Look Back
After a very challenging year for the domestic PCB industry, global business conditions are slowly improving. Columnist Steve Williams takes a look back at 2013 and also looks forward to what we can expect for the rest of 2014.February 20, 2014
Time for a 'Lean Diet'
In the drive to continuous improvement, while Lean is one of the most powerful tools available to organizations, it is also one of the most underutilized. Columnist Steve Williams offers a primer for companies considering the Lean journey.April 03, 2014
Capturing Tribal Knowledge
Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, made the following salient proclamation more than 50 years ago: "It's all to do with the training: You can do a lot if you're properly trained." What has held true through the ages is not a secret; people perform better when properly trained.May 29, 2014
Customer Feedback: Perception is Reality
What does it mean to be world-class? It means being on par with the top performers globally in your chosen craft. There are, of course, numerous quantitative metrics used to measure this, such as turnover, quality certifications, productivity, and the requisite financial ratios. But perhaps the most important metric is qualitative: How do your customers think you're doing?July 17, 2014
Best Practices 101, Part 1
In the global economy that is today's business environment, there are no guarantees. The need for best practices is present in every industry, but mandatory in technology industries such as PCB manufacturing. In this new series, Columnist Steve Williams conveys personal lessons gained through his involvement with more than 1,000 manufacturing companies.September 09, 2014
Best Practices 101, Part 2
Process flow diagrams are a great first step, but they don't tell the entire story. Value stream maps add one critical ingredient that standard process flowcharts don't have: Time. Process flowcharts do not capture this important element. They simply present a snapshot of the sequence of steps in the process. Time is essential to understanding how one operation affects another and where your resources are being spent.October 16, 2014
Best Practices 101, Part 3
Columnist Steve Williams writes, "Fresh out of training, the value stream mapping (VSM) team often runs out and starts mapping the first process they see. While VSM, if anything, is better than nothing, efforts should be focused on the critical processes having the greatest impact on the product."
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