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26 The PCB Design Magazine • July 2017 by Andy Shaughnessy I-CONNECT007 In the 16 years since its founding, Trilogy Circuits has become one of the go-to companies for mil/aero PCB design and manufacturing. I spoke with Charlie Capers, president and found- er of the Richardson, Texas firm, about how he keeps ahead of the game. As he explains, suc- ceeding with mil/aero PCB work requires not only mastery of the technological side, but of the regulations and certifications as well. Andy Shaughnessy: Charlie, why don't you start out with a little background on Trilogy Circuits. How much of your business today is military and aerospace? Charlie Capers: Trilogy started as a PCB design service bureau in 2001 and then expanded into a full-service EMS company in 2004, specializing in military and government applications. Roughly 60–75% of our busi- ness is some type of government project. Shaughnessy: I understand that your circuit boards end up in some pretty interesting mili- tary applications. Capers: True. Some of our customers provide very vague descriptions of what a certain prod- uct does, while others will share more details. It helps us develop a more robust product if we have some idea about the operating conditions and environment the product will be used in. We design and manufacture some interesting systems for major players in the military and aerospace sector. Shaughnessy: In our recent mil/aero survey, some people said that keeping up with chang- ing regulations is one of the toughest parts of the job. What are we up to now? ITAR, NIST, AS9100…and a new AS9100 rev is coming. Capers: This is one of the most complex areas when dealing with government contractors. ITAR registration with the State Department is a given these days and requires a lot of training and awareness when dealing with sensitive in- formation. Compliance to a new cybersecurity FEATURE INTERVIEW