Georgia-Pacific Uses 3D Printing to Drive Manufacturing Innovation

Georgia-Pacific's use of 3D printing directly on the plant floor demonstrates how teams can replace expensive, slow-to-source solutions with faster and more practical alternatives. It is an example of what can be described as creative destruction —using innovation to rethink established processes and replace them with more effective approaches. Across Georgia-Pacific facilities, employees are applying 3D printing to address manufacturing challenges with solutions that can be developed more quickly, improve safety and cost considerably less than conventional alternatives. A key feature of this approach is that innovation originates at the operational level. Employees who work closely with machinery and processes every day are often best positioned to identify problems and develop practical solutions. At facilities including Muskogee, Oklahoma, and Brewton, Alabama, 3D printing has evolved into an internal resource for components that may otherwise be expensive, difficult or time-consuming to obtain. Engineers and maintenance personnel can design and manufacture customised parts, protective equipment and other solutions based on specific requirements identified within their facilities. This approach can reduce procurement delays and eliminate some of the frustrations associated with conventional sourcing. How Georgia-Pacific Applies 3D Printing in Manufacturing At the Muskogee facility, drafter Nate Yarbrough plays a leading role in developing 3D-printed solutions, using computer-aided design (CAD) software to create digital models. Many of the concepts originate with equipment operators and mechanics who encounter specific problems during their daily work. As Nate explains, 3D printing is not appropriate for every application, but it can provide an effective solution for many operational challenges. One example involves small tabs fitted to junction boxes used with Laser Guided Vehicles (LGVs). Previously, damage to a single tab could require the replacement of the entire junction box. Instead, the team can now reproduce only the damaged component using a 3D printer. This significantly lowers the replacement...