Linking Wood Products, Creative Thinking, and Digital Technology

Wood products manufacturing has been important to the economy and culture of the Northern Forest region for generations but is threatened by rising costs and competition. Advances in digital technology have dramatically changed product design and development in many industries, but the region’s wood products industry has been slow to embrace the technology. NSRC researchers tested the use of digital technology (Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) machining) as a central element of rapid and economical design, prototyping, and production of solid wood products in the Northern Forest region.

Researchers developed an inventory of digital technology and related manufacturing techniques currently used by the region’s wood products industry. They interviewed 25 wood products manufacturers in the Northern Forest region and received written survey responses from 174 wood products businesses. Interviews revealed strong support for digital technology among those who use it and opinions ranging from ambivalence to curiosity to a decision not to use digital technology among those who do not use it.

Using tutorials and manuals, researchers became proficient users of digital design and manufacturing tools within three months and developed a group of 400 chairs from drawing to production. They identified costs and benefits of the technology as it applies to wood products design and manufacturing in the region. Results were shared through a free webcast which is available at www.beekenparsons.com/webcast. A more efficient design and manufacturing system, based on the use of digital technology, has great potential to increase productivity and enhance competitiveness and creativity of the wood products industry. 

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