Aerospace QMS Consulting | Enhanced by Intelligent Automation
Clayton Kuehl - clayton.kuehl@theqmscollective.com | (406) 677-1035 | Coeur d'Alene, ID
What Makes this Different?
I Work Differently from most QMS Consultants
Pragmatic systems, not paper empires
Every procedure and form I build exists because it adds value — not because a template said so. Your team will understand it and actually use it.
Intelligent automation where it counts
I have built tools that handle specific QMS pain points — audit planning, root cause analysis, corrective action documentation — so your team spends time on work that matters.
Minimal disruption to your operations
I work around your production schedule. Virtual-first, on-site when it makes sense. The goal is certification without chaos.
Direct access to the expert
You work with me — Clayton Kuehl — on every call, every deliverable, every question. No account managers. No hand-offs to junior staff.
SERVICES - How can I help your shop?
FROM THE BLOG!
Practical Guidance for Small Aerospace Shops
BLOG | CERTIFICATION GUIDANCE
How to Select an AS9100:D Registrar
A Practical Guide for Small Aerospace Organizations
By Clayton Kuehl | The QMS Collective, LLC
Choosing the right registrar is one of the most consequential decisions in your AS9100:D certification journey — and one that is consistently underestimated.
The wrong.........
BLOG | CERTIFACTION GUIDANCE
How Much Does AS9100 Certification Cost for a Small Shop?
By Clayton Kuehl | The QMS Collective, LLC
Cost is one of the most searched questions about AS9100 — and one of the least honestly answered. Most resources either give vague ranges or focus on large organizations.
Here’s a straightforward......
BLOG | ISO 9001:2026
ISO 9001:2026 Draft Released: Implications for Small Aerospace Organizations
In the dynamic field of quality management, the release of the ISO 9001:2026 Draft International Standard (DIS) on August 29, 2025, represents.....
AS9100 Rev D & ISO 9001 Certification Implementation
Implementation. Assessment. Ongoing support. Each service is designed for where your shop actually is — not where a generic consulting engagement assumes you should be.
Ongoing Support & Subscription
Certification is not a one-time event. I provide ongoing advisory support to keep your quality system current, audit-ready, and continuously improving — without the cost of a full-time quality manager. Structured as a monthly subscription with defined access and response commitments.
Not sure which service fits your situation? Schedule a free 30-minute call and I will tell you directly. →
AS9100 Rev D & ISO 9001 Certification Implementation
I build quality management systems that work on the shop floor — not systems that live in a binder and get pulled out for audits. Most clients certify in four to nine months without disrupting production.
What Certification Actually Requires?
Successful certification starts with a commitment by leadership to create a value-added system that actually works. A system that does not overburden the employees or staff. One that is designed specifically for them with tools that add value to the organization and make everyone's job a little bit easier. Follow proven methods, train the employees and align YOUR system with the Standard you're going after. Get comfortable with it, change it, refine it. You'll pass a 3rd party audit no problem!
So How Does the Process Work?
I follow a very refined and time-proven process that includes the following phases:
Phase 1 - Gap Analysis — I personally evaluate your system against the Standard you are interested in. I look at what you actually do. Many organizations follow processes that will work. they may need to be refined some, but it's not starting over! I take what I learn and create a plan to create a value added system that meets the needs of your business as well as the Standard you are going to follow.
Phase 2 - System Development — I build or revise your QMS documentation: quality manual, procedures, forms, and records. Everything is written for the people doing the work, not for the auditor. I offer tools for data capture and work to automate many aspects of your new QMS. It's in no way over done. It's just right.
Phase 3 - Implementation & Training — Procedures are only useful if the team understands them. I work with your team to implement the system and train the people who need to use it.
Phase 4 - Internal Audit — Before the registrar audit, I conduct an internal audit to find and close any gaps. Your team should never be surprised by a registrar finding that you could have caught first.
Phase 5 - Registrar Audit Support — I support your team through the registrar audit itself: preparation, response to findings, and coordination.
Timeline: — 9 to 12 months for most small aerospace organizations. Timeline depends on your current QMS maturity, organization size, and how much time your team can dedicate to the process.
Ready to find out what certification would take for your shop?
A free 30-minute call is the fastest way to get a realistic picture of your timeline, your gaps, and what the process would actually look like.
QMS Gap Assessment — AS9100 Rev D & ISO 9001
One day on-site. A clear, written report on exactly where you stand against the standard — and what it will take to close the gaps.
What the Assessment Covers
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Review of your current QMS documentation against AS9100 Rev D or ISO 9001 requirements — clause by clause.
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Observation of key operational processes to assess actual practice against documented procedures.
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Interviews with key personnel to understand how quality responsibilities are understood and executed.
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Written gap report: every identified gap, prioritized by compliance risk, with effort estimates for closure.
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A recommended action plan with a realistic timeline to certification or re-certification.
Want to know exactly where your quality system stands?
Ongoing QMS Support & Subscription
Certification is the beginning, not the end. I provide ongoing advisory support to keep your quality system current, audit-ready, and continuously improving — without the cost of a full-time quality manager.
What do certified shops deal with? The PAIN points:
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Annual internal audits are stressful when no one on your team is audit-trained. Even if you have training, you don't do this all the time and the process is overwhelming and time consuming.
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Corrective actions pile up between registrar visits and turn into findings at the next audit. Root cause is a real pain to figure out, let alone the correct solutions.
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Training records are inconsistent and always feel like a scramble before an audit. Wouldn't it be nice to capture them quickly and retain them in one place?
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Calibration management is manual, error-prone, and always behind. Trying to figure out what's due and when or even missing the time-line to call the calibration provider. I can solve that!
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You do not have a full-time quality manager — but you have full-time quality management responsibilities. Take a look at using tools and services that make your quality management system managable, value-added. One that works for you; not the other way around!
This is exactly what the ongoing support subscription is designed to address. Introducing:
The QMS Tool Suite — Included with Every Subscription
(all tools are included in both the 'Active' & 'Partner' subscriptions)
I have developed a suite of AI-powered tools built on nearly 30 years of aerospace QMS experience. These tools reduce the time and friction of operating a compliant quality management system — applied where it genuinely reduces workload without cutting corners on compliance.
The QMS Tool Suite - Coming soon!!
Documentation Control Tool
An all inclusive tool to ensure you control the documenation that defines your QMS. Track all document types, their revisions, who needs to approve them and much more.
Problem Solving Tool
Structured around the 5-Why and 3-Legged 5-Why methodology used in aerospace corrective action. Validates root cause logic and produces documented outputs suitable for customer or registrar submission.
Corrective Action Tool
Manages the full CAR workflow from initiation through root cause analysis to verification of effectiveness.
Calibration Manager Tool
Manages calibration schedules, records, and out-of-tolerance events. Produces a calibration register for audit evidence. Available on Active and Partner tiers.
Audit Planning Tool
Upload your QMS documentation. The tool identifies risk points, generates company-specific audit questions, and produces a formal audit report. Exports to Excel.
Gap Analysis Tool
Assesses your current QMS posture against AS9100 Rev D or ISO 9001 requirements. Produces a prioritized gap list with effort estimates.
Training Manager Tool
Tracks personnel training requirements, completion status, and competency records. Produces a training matrix for audit evidence. Available on Active and Partner tiers.
Custom Tools
Tell me what you need. I will recommend soltions some of which can employ Artificial Intelligence (AI) too!
How I Work —
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You work with me directly — every call, every deliverable, every question. No account managers, no junior staff, no hand-offs.
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Virtual-first. Most of my work is done remotely — document review, advisory calls, audit preparation. On-site when it genuinely adds value.
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Based in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Serving small aerospace organizations across the United States.
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Engagements are structured around your schedule and your production calendar — not around a consulting firm's project timeline.
About the Founder
Clayton M. Kuehl
Principal Consultant, The QMS Collective, LLC
Nearly 30 Years in Aerospace QMS!
Not theories. Hard-won experience from the floor up.
Three decades in aerospace quality management means you stop asking what could go wrong and start recognizing it before it does. I've built quality management systems from scratch for machine shops with five employees and scaled implementations for operations running seventy-five people across multiple shifts. I've sat across the table from registrar auditors who had every reason to write findings — and I've helped organizations walk out of those rooms with clean results. I've written corrective action responses for customer complaints serious enough to threaten contracts, and I've seen what happens when the response doesn't get to root cause.
Some of the most meaningful work has been on the shop floor — taking technicians who had never heard of a quality standard and helping them understand why it matters for the part in their hands, on that specific day. That translation work, from document to practice, is where most QMS implementations either take hold or quietly fall apart.
AS9100 Rev D remains the backbone of aerospace QMS, and knowing it thoroughly means knowing where organizations consistently struggle — risk-based thinking that stays theoretical, operational planning that never connects to the shop floor, and management reviews that generate action items no one tracks. ISO 9001:2015 forms the foundation beneath it, and I've guided organizations through both standards in tandem for years. When the IA9100 transition came along, I worked with shops navigating the added layer of International Aerospace Quality Group expectations on top of existing registration. Now, with ISO 9001:2026 on the horizon, I'm already helping clients understand what's changing and what needs to be done before the transition window closes.
I built these tools because I spent decades watching the same friction points slow down every implementation — root cause analysis that goes in circles, audit prep that starts from scratch every year, calibration records maintained in spreadsheets no one trusts. The tools exist because I know exactly where the pain is. This isn't a technology experiment. It's thirty years of pattern recognition built into something you can actually use.