<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Big W Engineering Solutions LLC]]></title><description><![CDATA[Scientific Solutions for Strategic Success]]></description><link>https://www.bigwengineering.com/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Fri, 14 Aug 2026 04:29:08 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.bigwengineering.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[AS9100 Internal Auditor Training with Apex Quality Assurance]]></title><description><![CDATA[I've recently had the opportunity to support Apex's AS9100 Internal Auditor training.  It was a huge honor, we had a great group of students and it's always so rewarding sharing this knowledge that is critical to keeping the aerospace industry safe.  As always Apex has been great to work with, and I'm looking forward to a bright future of continued partnerships.  In addition to AS9100 Internal Auditor Training, I have also been teaching their Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing...]]></description><link>https://www.bigwengineering.com/post/as9100-internal-auditor-training-with-apex-quality-assurance</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a75fe24f605b59da3ebd9ef</guid><pubDate>Fri, 07 Aug 2026 16:05:35 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e46759_1cb919df89ad4eca90a6e74c9d2215a5~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Adam Witthauer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[PDCA and ISO 9001 / AS9100 Clause 4: Defining the Problem Before You Solve It]]></title><description><![CDATA[The last two posts covered why certification is worth pursuing and why independence is what makes it real. Now we get into the standards themselves, and we're going to start with the shape of the thing before we start reading the words. The Standard Is a PDCA Loop If you've been around manufacturing or continuous improvement at all, you've seen Plan-Do-Check-Act. Plan what you're going to do, do it, check whether it worked, act on what you learned, repeat. Deming popularized it, Toyota built...]]></description><link>https://www.bigwengineering.com/post/pdca-and-iso-9001-as9100-clause-4-defining-the-problem-before-you-solve-it</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a70b86456f130b2d5ecd2ac</guid><pubDate>Mon, 03 Aug 2026 17:52:47 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c06c53d350fc4ee8ae983c17fdc851ae.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Adam Witthauer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Compliant vs. Certified: Why Independence Is the Real Foundation]]></title><description><![CDATA[In last week’s article I discussed some of the benefits of obtaining compliance to either ISO 9001 or AS9100.  This week I’ll discuss the difference between compliance and certification, and why independence and impartiality are important at every level.  In subsequent articles we will review the clauses, how they benefit customer satisfaction, some examples of what it takes to be conforming to these requirements and how conformance can benefit operations.  The idea to write this series came...]]></description><link>https://www.bigwengineering.com/post/compliant-vs-certified-why-independence-is-the-real-foundation</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a614e22b252e37e4d32b468</guid><pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 2026 00:10:28 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e46759_6645e6bf1ae347b0bf58424f211cc83e~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_960,h_720,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Adam Witthauer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[ISO 9001 and AS9100: What They Actually Buy You]]></title><description><![CDATA[If you've spent any time around a machine shop or a manufacturing floor, you've probably heard someone grumble that a quality certification is just a binder full of paperwork nobody reads until an auditor shows up. That reputation isn't entirely undeserved.  A lot of companies implement these standards badly, treating them as a compliance tax rather than a management tool. But when they're implemented well, ISO 9001 and AS9100 aren't paperwork. They're closer to a set of blueprints for how a...]]></description><link>https://www.bigwengineering.com/post/iso-9001-and-as9100-what-they-actually-buy-you</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a56790d9b48710c8ef363da</guid><pubDate>Tue, 14 Jul 2026 19:06:37 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e46759_8aec4a99e8c4473889e7368d4b0ca9cc~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_831,h_336,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Adam Witthauer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Race cars to nuclear grade dish soap:  A spectrum of quality strategy]]></title><description><![CDATA[It’s been a long and incredibly nonlinear journey to get where I am today.  I’ll start by saying that I never intended to get into quality engineering.  I sought an engineering degree so I could help design the next Camaro and make it super sweet and fast.  But the one thing that I found greater value in than going fast is opportunity, and there has always been plenty of opportunity in quality engineering.  Because Racecar A really big part of this journey was Formula SAE (FSAE).  For those...]]></description><link>https://www.bigwengineering.com/post/race-cars-to-nuclear-grade-dish-soap-a-spectrum-of-quality-strategy</link><guid isPermaLink="false">693cee485edaf5b3be2cbd93</guid><pubDate>Wed, 01 Jul 2026 22:24:37 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e46759_15d643e4500543aabc583b9ea44b8b7e~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Adam Witthauer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Nuclear Grade Quality for all:  Lessons learned from Porsche]]></title><description><![CDATA[Learn how Big W plans to deliver Porsche performance on a Volkswagen budget.]]></description><link>https://www.bigwengineering.com/post/nuclear-grade-quality-for-all-lessons-learned-from-porsche</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a3da7f9faba6cee57d971a6</guid><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 14:10:15 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e46759_b545d6a80c9f4d4c843439992404f676~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_810,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Adam Witthauer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[When Perfection Is the Enemy of Quality Culture:  Lessons from the Nuclear Security Enterprise]]></title><description><![CDATA[The culture in the Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE), particularly with regards to quality, was without a doubt the best I've experienced. One thing that really made it great was the common understanding that perfection is impossible. While that may sound odd at face value, what made it powerful was that when issues occurred, they tended to be taken a lot less as a personal blow.]]></description><link>https://www.bigwengineering.com/post/when-perfection-is-the-enemy-of-quality-culture-lessons-from-the-nuclear-security-enterprise</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a2aed348d10dcf6288d9829</guid><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 17:57:51 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_4d71502892eb4d8aa8168667166a7a98~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Adam Witthauer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[A Tale of Two Quality Cultures:  The Importance of Quality Integration]]></title><description><![CDATA[Let's paint a picture of two very different environments, whose root differences can be largely traced back to differences embedded deep in their quality culture. Let's begin with what sadly is more likely to be the default state.  "Quality isn't a department" is a phrase that feels largely over-used these days (and beloved by AI), but the situation I will begin with is one where quality is, indeed, more of a compartmentalized department, silo'd outside of production, design, and the rest of...]]></description><link>https://www.bigwengineering.com/post/a-tale-of-two-quality-cultures-the-importance-of-quality-integration</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a1ef1d6f9e37e2aaa13ec09</guid><pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:41:52 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e46759_d9de6c72a75e455f84ce9deca482ec6c~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Adam Witthauer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Counterfeit Prevention in Aerospace: Lessons from Spark Plug Scandal]]></title><description><![CDATA[Take a look at a scandal where an online hero spent $500 buying spark plugs online, and discovered 1/3 were fake.]]></description><link>https://www.bigwengineering.com/post/counterfeit-prevention-in-aerospace-lessons-from-sparkplug-scandal</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69beb5afcf14a7a450cc6e03</guid><pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 17:28:55 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_2933a024298f4e1c83b8e27c833042c6~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Adam Witthauer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Big W Engineering Values - Systems Thinking]]></title><description><![CDATA[One of the most important concepts I picked up designing and building Formula SAE racecars in college was systems thinking.  A team could easily have "the best engine" or "the best suspension" or "the best controls" and get beat in every category by a car that wasn't the best in any particular area, but successfully integrated all components into one harmonious system.  What made the winning teams' cars not only fast but exciting from a design standpoint were things like how their component...]]></description><link>https://www.bigwengineering.com/post/big-w-engineering-values-systems-thinking</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69dbb0567a982ab8952cca79</guid><pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2026 19:52:42 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e46759_71b1737a49dc46e390e00d5daf9620aa~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Adam Witthauer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Big W is now ISO 9001 Lead Implementer Certified]]></title><description><![CDATA[Check out Big W's new ISO 9001 Lead Implementer certification!]]></description><link>https://www.bigwengineering.com/post/big-w-is-now-iso-9001-lead-implementer-certified</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69d0304e535e7bcd269b5642</guid><pubDate>Mon, 06 Apr 2026 21:40:33 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e46759_f74819f4f96f4c789774295741379ec4~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_600,h_600,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Adam Witthauer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Big W at the Branson Midwest Manufacturer's Trade Show]]></title><description><![CDATA[February 23-25 2026, Big W Engineering Solutions partnered with T&#38;O Group, Tessere, J.E. Dunn, Platinum Roofing and Larsen Consulting to exhibit in booths 88-89 at the Missouri Association of Manufacturers (MAM) Midwest Manufacturer's Trade Show and Conference in Branson.  ]]></description><link>https://www.bigwengineering.com/post/big-w-at-the-branson-midwest-manufacturer-s-trade-show</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69a63a9060298c02e5c0e18f</guid><pubDate>Tue, 03 Mar 2026 02:13:29 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e46759_23953af67d194435abe46b060629801a~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Adam Witthauer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Big W is now AS9100 3rd Party Lead Auditor Certified!]]></title><description><![CDATA[It's only been a few weeks since we completed the Apex QA AS9100 &#38; ISO 9001 Lead Auditor course, and now we have completed the AS9100 third party lead auditor course.  While the Lead Auditor course focused on the fundamentals of being a lead auditor in an AS9100 or ISO 9001 environment, the 3rd Party Lead Auditor course focuses on preparing to become an auditor on behalf of certification bodies.  Becoming an authenticated 3rd party auditor means we could conduct certification or renewal...]]></description><link>https://www.bigwengineering.com/post/big-w-is-now-as9100-3rd-party-lead-auditor-certified</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6980e08699fa9e70ea5fe711</guid><pubDate>Tue, 03 Feb 2026 00:01:37 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e46759_c55d0e001eb7430fa86d573c2b000a4d~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_600,h_464,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Adam Witthauer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Big W Engineering Values:  Integrity on The 96% Perfect Podcast]]></title><description><![CDATA[Learn more about Big W Engineering's values from our appearance on The 96% Perfect Podcast]]></description><link>https://www.bigwengineering.com/post/big-w-engineering-values-integrity-on-the-96-perfect-podcast</link><guid isPermaLink="false">696ebd95423c15f2e1ef890f</guid><pubDate>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 03:10:53 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e46759_b2d794ab965d42659bf294cabe2cd26e~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_229,h_228,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Adam Witthauer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Big W Engineering Values - Partnership and Mission Success at the Beach]]></title><description><![CDATA[Taking a vacation to the beach 3 months after starting a business is probably not something you'll find in any entrepreneurial self-help book.  The best entrepreneurs, however, will remind you to never lose focus on your true north star.  Partnership exists in many layers and contexts, but all stems from the same source inside of us, whether it be related to business partnerships or family.  Likewise, even vacations have their own risks which need to be mitigated to ensure mission success....]]></description><link>https://www.bigwengineering.com/post/big-w-engineering-values-partnership-and-mission-success-at-the-beach</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69631ac4cca849701e8d2ac0</guid><pubDate>Mon, 12 Jan 2026 02:35:13 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e46759_9e1c301f36c54dd5a693fea735c52b43~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Adam Witthauer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Happy Holidays from Big W Engineering Solutions]]></title><description><![CDATA[As we officially close out 2025, I’m yet again thankful for all the connections I’ve been able to make over the last 3 months, and very optimistic about 2026.  Big W is now AS9100 &#38; ISO 9001 Lead Auditor certified One of the first things we learned in our networking is that there is a need for ISO 9001 support, both locally and nationally.  As such I’ve decided that our best value proposition is to share our extensive quality engineering experience within these management system frameworks....]]></description><link>https://www.bigwengineering.com/post/happy-holidays-from-big-w-engineering-solutions</link><guid isPermaLink="false">694ac6cf49cd504c60cbc254</guid><pubDate>Tue, 23 Dec 2025 17:23:07 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e46759_58252651be31431fa6d844caebefd9a3~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Adam Witthauer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Big W Engineering Solutions is now AS9100 / ISO 9001 Lead Auditor Certified!]]></title><description><![CDATA[We are excited to say that we have just completed Apex Quality Assurance's 5-day AS9100 &#38; ISO 9001 Lead Auditor training!  With this certification we're looking forward to providing any AS9100 or ISO 9001 audit needs, while also being able to provide an auditor perspective to any other QMS implementation or support work. We are also planning to complete ISO 9001 Lead Implementer training to demonstrate mastery in QMS creation and implementation, as well as AS9100 Third Party Lead Auditor...]]></description><link>https://www.bigwengineering.com/post/big-w-engineering-solutions-is-now-as9100-iso-9001-lead-auditor-certified</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69782f9ce611fcb48796fa7e</guid><pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2025 06:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e46759_8776fbdbaae148b1b604725d8235dfe1~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_400,h_400,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Adam Witthauer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Happy Thanksgiving from Big W!]]></title><description><![CDATA[With Thanksgiving upon us I’m reminded that 2025 is quickly coming to a close.  As you look ahead to 2026 I hope you consider Big W Engineering Solutions to help you scale up, expand your capabilities, or overcome tough challenges.  Coming soon:  ISO 9001 &#38; AS9100 support After spending some time getting to know the local industry, I’ve come to the conclusion that offering certification support up to AS9100 is where I can provide my greatest value.  I have over a decade in quality engineering...]]></description><link>https://www.bigwengineering.com/post/happy-thanksgiving-from-big-w</link><guid isPermaLink="false">694acf46aa1a043910270a71</guid><pubDate>Tue, 25 Nov 2025 17:21:52 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e46759_4c24a69f7df743d98431b83054e979d7~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Adam Witthauer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[My journey leaving corporate America for consulting]]></title><description><![CDATA[A lot of people were surprised at my decision to leave the corporate world.  I was at a great company, led an amazing team, and had just cleared some very significant hurdles on the product my team supported. When I started we were a scrappy bunch with just over a dozen quality engineers with seemingly impossible qualification tasks, the two most infamous suppliers in the organization, and buried in quality escapes and overdue CARs. Three years later we had completed the impossible...]]></description><link>https://www.bigwengineering.com/post/leaving-corporate-america</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68fd1d20dc39b5e10ead4ffc</guid><pubDate>Thu, 06 Nov 2025 00:25:39 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e46759_8f0d0d06424740a9b66047cd193326b6~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Adam Witthauer</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Cold form titanium with hot forming performance:  Call for partners]]></title><description><![CDATA[If you've worked with Titanium, you know that cold working it comes with some real restrictions.  What if it didn't have to be that way? ​​ Ultrasonic-assisted forming has been studied since the 1950s , with industrial application in wire drawing  and tube bending  since the early 1970s.  It's carried out by applying vibration to forming dies during deformation using frequencies in the kilohertz range and displacements in the micrometer range.  A large body of research has documented several...]]></description><link>https://www.bigwengineering.com/post/cold-form-titanium-with-hot-forming-performance-call-for-partners</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68f6b72032ef022fab0f3ead</guid><pubDate>Tue, 21 Oct 2025 06:48:43 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e46759_7fd9e85774a942249bb89e085525209e~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_512,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Adam Witthauer</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>