Women Reshaping Manufacturing: HP’s Lihua Zhao On The Five Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career In Manufacturing

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in interest surrounding the manufacturing sector. Historically, this industry has been dominated by male workers, with women constituting only about 30% of the workforce. What is the experience like for women working in such a male-dominated field? What challenges do they face, and how can they contribute to improving the industry? What does it take to establish a highly successful career in manufacturing? Additionally, what exciting advancements and innovations are US companies making in high-tech manufacturing, and what can we expect in the near future? How can the US emerge as a high-tech manufacturing powerhouse? To address these questions, we are talking to women leaders of the manufacturing industry. As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Lihua Zhao.

Dr. Lihua Zhao, HP Distinguished Technologist, is Global Head of Personalization and 3D Labs. In this role, she leads an elite R&D team to strategically advance HP’s 3D Printing and Digital Manufacturing technologies for future industry revolution. Dr. Zhao is one of the key founding technologists for HP’s 3D Printing Technologies since 2013. She is also a requested speaker and has delivered many technical presentations, panel discussions, and thought leadership on additive manufacturing.

Prior to joining HP, Dr. Zhao was an Assistant Research Scientist at University of California, Berkeley, where she led research and development on new materials and fabrication of flexible displays. Lihua received her Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry and Materials Science from the University of California, Irvine. She was honored as a 2019 Hall of Fame inductee at UC Irvine’s School of Physical Science and named in 2017’s “Women Worth Watching in STEM.” She and her team have also won innovator awards such as the HP 2017 “Best Disruption” Award.

Lihua is a recent graduate of Next Women, World 50, Inc. She is currently also serving on Industry Advisory Boards of SHAP3D and School of Physical Science, UC Irvine. Lihua is keen on encouraging, mentoring, developing, and sponsoring junior scientists and engineers, especially women, minorities, and introverts to pursue their dreams in technology fields.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started in manufacturing?

I have a background in engineering and spent more than six years researching and developing flexible displays when I started at HP. During this time, I often thought about how we could make and supply products on-demand and on-time while using fewer materials. I spent my spare time researching the most up-to-date trends in manufacturing and the supply chain. The more I read, the more I realized that most products are designed and built using multiple components and steps due to manufacturing constraints, which prevents products being designed for best performance. Additive manufacturing (or 3D printing) drew my attention because of the design freedom that it brings, how it increases efficiencies in production and assembly, and its potential to produce products on-demand.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

I’m lucky to be working in such an innovative field that has allowed me to have so many varied, interesting and influential experiences during my career. The COVID pandemic had a huge impact on manufacturing and supply chains, meaning a number of essential items became increasingly difficult to acquire, including life-saving PPE. To combat these shortages, our lab worked with a group of doctors and medical providers to develop new ways to get products such as PPE, sample collecting swabs, and other items essential to the fight against COVID to those who needed it.

We collaborated on design iterations, enabling digital design files for parts to be shared within seconds. Our existing network of digital manufacturing partners then took these files and were able to produce medical supplies for healthcare professionals to test. The agility and flexibility of 3D printing meant that some devices were literally built and used within days on the frontline of the battle against the pandemic. We were able to work with many partners across the globe at unprecedented speed thanks to 3D printing which we would not have been able to achieve with traditional manufacturing.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“Less is More,” which represents simplicity, clarity and coherence. It is a difficult lesson to follow but it is hugely important. In my role, I need to communicate with many different audiences: funders, partners, customer, technical contributors etc. Less makes our messaging more concise and understandable, it helps technologists be more focused, and it removes stress over non-essential choices. I know it sounds philosophical, but the same lesson translates in our personal lives too. A simple example is how we treat our children. By doing less for them, we help to build their responsibility and independence and give parents more time to focus on important things. I have found it creates more harmony at home.

Ok wonderful. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview about High Tech Manufacturing. Can you tell our readers about the most interesting projects you are working on now? How do you think this will help people?

The manufacturing sector is undergoing a massive transformation accelerated by industry 4.0. One of the most disruptive technologies at the forefront of this digitization is 3D printing.

Once solely considered a prototyping tool for plastics, the capabilities of 3D printing have expanded dramatically over the past decade to where the technology can cover companies’ end-to-end needs in both software and hardware for polymers and metals at a commercial scale. Advancing the research fueling this disruptive technology has been the focus of my work at HP’s exploratory and advanced research group, HP Labs.

My team’s primary goal is to increase the value 3D printing technology has to offer. Simplifying existing processes and manufacturing methods so that fewer steps, materials, and processes are involved. Enhancing HP’s industry-leading 3D printing solutions to better support existing production systems. All this provides brands across industries like consumer, automotive, healthcare, and industrial with unprecedented benefits in terms of speed, quality, reliability, and cost.

Whether it’s rethinking the design and production of bespoke medical devices, creating new and exciting materials and workflows that enable a circular economy, or experimenting with 3D printed electronics to push the boundaries beyond traditional innovation, we are fortunate to learn and create new things every day. The best part is, we also get to empower others to shift their mindset and create new solutions to complex problems facing our world today.

Can you share how you are helping to reshape the Manufacturing industry?

Volatility is the new normal in the manufacturing industry. As a result, more companies are looking to build resilience into their supply chains in the face of global insecurities such as the pandemic, economic recessions, and the climate crisis. Fluctuating consumer demand combined with these economic headwinds offer us the opportunity to reset: to reprioritize innovation and investment in breakthrough technologies to remain competitive in this new era of manufacturing.

Leveraging HP’s advanced 3D printing technology solutions, the HP Personalization and 3D Labs continuously push the boundaries of what can be 3D printed and, as a result, which industries can be reinvented. We are spearheading entirely new ways to design, prototype, and manufacture parts and products, all at a fraction of the time and often beyond the realm of possibilities for conventional manufacturing. This not only expands what is deemed possible for science and technology, but it also helps our customers overcome challenges related to global supply chain issues and economic recessions while also enabling more personalized and sustainable products and solutions.

Every day, I am motivated by the belief that 3D printing technologies are at the forefront of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. As such, my team and I continue pushing the boundaries and advancing our technologies so that it can impact businesses and manufacturers across all facets of product design, fulfilment, and lifetime use. As more companies learn the benefits of 3D printing technologies, adoption of additive manufacturing solutions will increase, contributing to a healthier global economy and supply chain as well as an innovation-centric ecosystem where new applications and channels for growth and development are discovered.

In addition to what you are working on, what other exciting advancements and innovations are US companies making in High Tech manufacturing?

HP’s vision is to augment the manufacturing industry with 3D print technology. We did it first for polymers and then more recently leveraged our existing heritage, ecosystem and learnings for our commercial metals solution announced last Fall. It’s all very exciting, watching our imagination turn into reality with the introduction of HP’s Metal Jet S100 Solution, enabling for the first time ever scalable mass production for 3D printed metal parts.

This is important for several reasons. Primarily, 3D printing’s adoption has often been delayed due to a lack of understanding of key design advantages, low productivity, and material availability. With the high production rates of our Metal Jet Solution, the entry barrier to enable serial production can be significantly reduced.

A great, recent example of this is our work with Schneider Electric, a leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation. Schneider Electric’s product portfolio includes low voltage switchboards, which are dedicated to large scale industrial projects where electrical protection and energy availability are key. Together with partner GKN Additive (Forecast 3D), Schneider Electric is using HP Metal Jet Technology to 3D print new components for the 690V power filters in its low voltage switchboards, which couldn’t be achieved with other industrial manufacturing capabilities due to the shape complexity. HP Metal Jet technology not only facilitated the design of new power filters shapes that reduce gas, pressure, and heat impact in a more limited space, it also resulted in significant productivity gains and economic benefits.

Another industrial customer, John Deere, set out to design a tool that would ensure consistent performance of their tractors in the lowest of temperatures with climate change and extreme weather conditions becoming a major pain point to agriculturalists globally. Having observed HP Metal Jet’s benefits in terms of speed, quality, reliability, and scale, the global leader in agricultural machinery partnered with HP to develop 3D printed metal parts that could withstand high pressure applications, are resistant to chemical corrosion, and are not impacted by very high or low operating temperatures. By applying HP’s Metal Jet technology to the development and manufacturing of John Deere’s Thermal Diverting Valve 3.0, John Deere’s 6R and 6M tractors are able to maintain fuel temperatures in a range of conditions. Additionally, when compared to valves produced using traditional manufacturing methods like forging or milling, these stainless-steel valves are more compact by design, require less materials for construction, cost up to 50% less per part manufactured, and boost overall productivity and efficiency.

From your vantage point as an insider, what exciting developments will be coming out in the near future?

Advancements in the technology and materials paired with a growing global ecosystem of industry trailblazers and partners means barriers of adoption are being loosened-up and access is being democratized. Brands big and small can now upend their traditional supply chains, break the mold of what is expected in terms of product design, and apply this technology in ways once thought unimaginable. The true power of 3D printing technology is in the unique and innovative ways it can be applied by those who understand and share our goal of breaking boundaries with disruptive technology. And we are only just scratching the surface and certainly inviting everyone to join the force and lifting the industry.

I am particularly interested in the way 3D printing can be used to enable more sustainable business practices. More manufacturers, including 50% of global digital manufacturing and 3D printing decisionmakers surveyed in HP’s Digital Manufacturing Trends report, are interested in using the technology because it promotes a circular economy, reducing the number of materials and steps used in production while also simplifying and creating more value out of production systems. New partnerships and collaborations will allow brands to create business value from operating more sustainably, including incentives for the ways that they use, reuse, and dispose of spent powders, parts and materials.

I also expect 3D printing solutions to become much more capable in applying data and digital technologies, giving customers a greater understanding of the part lifecycle and the end user. Better parts with improved design that are also better for the planet will be printed because of a more streamlined end-to-end product lifecycle with the ability to analyze and action on insights in an accelerated and manageable way.

What are the three things that most excite you about the state of US Manufacturing? Why?

The manufacturing industry is constantly evolving in response to external factors, whether that is maintaining rates of production that meets demand, responding to pressures from the state of the global economy, or supply chain issues. While this state of flux does present problems for the manufacturing industry, it also presents an opportunity to develop new, unique solutions, and I love that the door for quick, responsive innovation is always open. The US Gov has started putting a lot more effort into incentives to advance its manufacturing infrastructure and capabilities, especially high-tech manufacturing. It is a great time to get into the field, learn, contribute, and make a difference.

I also enjoy that the manufacturing industry is one that connects and interacts with so many different fields. It incorporates all elements of STEM into the making of things across every industry imaginable. The need for continuous collaboration creates the perfect environment for innovative technology such as 3D printing to take hold. Manufacturers are always seeking opportunities to make things more efficient while maintaining quality, making it an exciting industry to be in as new solutions are continuously being brought to the table.

What are the three things that concern you about US Manufacturing? What would you suggest needs to be done to address those concerns?

Education is an essential resource in the quest to move the needle within the manufacturing industry, especially with 3D printing:

• Empowering Women in STEM: Women in STEM roles represented 27% of workers in 2019, up only from 8% in 1970. This is a staggering statistic, but one that unfortunately does not surprise me. 3D printing can be a great arena to unleash creativity and challenge our minds, and the industry needs more dedicated tools, resources and collaboration from both the public and private sector to foster a nurturing culture for women in technology.
• Driving 3D Printing Adoption: Invention is not disruption. Adoption is. The more we educate the world by showing them what’s possible when we put 3D printing to work in unique and innovative ways, the more demand and breakthrough applications we will see come to life. Often brands don’t have dedicated Centers of Excellence for 3D printing or manufacturers onsite that understand the intricacies of the technology, which is why partnering with companies like HP and other industry players are so important to help with that education factor.
• Enabling a Shift in Design Mindset: 3D printing is not meant to replace traditional manufacturing methods. The goal is to provide brands with new offerings and a way to differentiate themselves in increasingly competitive markets. But 3D printing requires a shift in design mindset, one that embraces design freedom with a focus on lightweighting, organic structures and parts consolidation. Engineering teams that stay stuck in the paradigm of traditional manufacturing will not be able to generate any of the vast benefits 3D printing enables, making education in design the cornerstone of true innovation.

Based on your opinion or experience, what would it take for the US to become a High Tech Manufacturing powerhouse?

As emerging technologies like AI and 3D printing continue to develop into practical tools, more companies are being exposed to their revolutionary abilities to achieve business necessities. The manufacturing industry is transforming alongside this industrial revolution as technological solutions advance to a point where manufacturers can put technology to work for them. However, we are not yet at the point where these enterprise technologies are constantly being taken from the lab to the marketplace like they need to be for the U.S. to become a full-scale, high-tech manufacturing powerhouse due to the investments needed for complete implementation.

To overcome this roadblock, we need advocates for innovation within partnering organizations and businesses themselves. As innovators, it is our responsibility to partner with and empower these internal champions to understand the potential of emerging technologies and then both oversee and sell its benefits to their wider organization and stakeholders. We also need government action. The Biden Administration’s announcement of the AM Forward Initiative last year is a step in the right direction to help reshore manufacturing and address a slower than desired uptake in 3D printing and other high-performance technologies for advanced manufacturing.

While we are making great progress every day in delivering new solutions to old manufacturing problems, we need to work together to identify and adapt this technology to best suit its users, utilizing feedback and implementing the expertise of existing partners to make full-scale implementation of transformational manufacturing technology a reality. With this, I believe the U.S. manufacturing industry has the potential to spearhead a tech-driven transformation of standard manufacturing globally.

As you know, there are not that many women in High Tech Manufacturing. Can you advise what is needed to engage more women in these industries?

Education, both for children and for parents, is the key to getting more girls and women into high-tech manufacturing and STEM roles. One of the things I love about this industry is how it integrates so many different topics, from physics, chemistry, and math to design work, and because of that, there are many opportunities for women to thrive.

By educating young girls about the different avenues that exist in STEM they have time to explore their interests within the subject and develop a passion to be pursued. And while there is still a need for more opportunities at the industrial and organizational level for young women to engage in STEM activities and programs, educating parents about how women can thrive in STEM fields increases the likelihood that young women will be encouraged to seek out ways to engage with exciting applications of science. As we shift towards an increasingly digital and technology-driven world, the need for creative, innovative, and science-driven individuals is greater than ever, and having a stronger female voice across the board will push this industry forward and create less-biased products.

Fantastic. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career In STEM?

1. Embrace diversity — When I first started leading the 3D team at HP Labs, I was the only woman in the group. Today, my team consists of men and women from across the globe and who have backgrounds in a range of fields from software, hardware, computer sciences, and the physical sciences to chemistry, engineering, and design. Embracing the different perspectives that each team member brings thanks to their various expertise provides me with a unique, multifaceted perspective that drives new ideas and research forward.
2. Aim to build inclusive technologies and solutions — Our world is comprised of individuals with different identities and characteristics. By approaching research and technology development with an inclusive mindset, one that takes into account the different backgrounds and perspectives that exist, we are more likely to develop solutions that impact the world in a positive way as they benefit more individuals.
3. Have a curious mindset — This industry requires a constant flow of ideas and concepts. In order to make change happen and move the needle on what manufacturing is capable of, you have to be willing to explore every avenue. Being hungry to learn. No stone can be left unturned.
4. Explore your interests — As I’ve mentioned, technology and science will continue to advance at a faster pace than ever before, and being part of a massive technological and industrial revolution is extremely rewarding. There are so many ways to be part of the manufacturing industry, and I encourage everyone and anyone who is curious about the different aspects of the industry to explore it.
5. Trust your abilities — At times, it can be easy to feel like you don’t belong in a STEM-related industry. Throughout my career, there have been multiple times where I have questioned my presence in a room. I overcome this fear and questioning of my abilities by constantly telling myself that I am qualified to be wherever I am professionally. Trust yourself and embrace that you bring a unique perspective to the table.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I would like to inspire the on-demand revolution where goods are manufactured when they are needed. With 3D printing technology, we can now manufacture goods more quickly, using cheaper, fewer, or more lightweight materials. We can produce goods in quantities that match immediate demand so that we no longer have to think about endless storage of goods throughout the supply chain.

Fundamentally, this revolution will reduce waste at every stage of the manufacturing process from inception to delivery of goods. This will have a huge environmental impact for an industry that has traditionally been one of the highest emitting. Our work during the COVID pandemic highlighted the true value of 3D printing, its ability to allow manufacturers to pivot quickly to address the immediate needs not just of individual companies, but of society as a whole.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

https://www.hp.com/us-en/hp-labs/research/overview.html

This was very inspiring and informative. Thank you so much for the time you spent with this interview!

About The Interviewer: David Leichner is a veteran of the Israeli high-tech industry with significant experience in the areas of cyber and security, enterprise software and communications. At Cybellum, a leading provider of Product Security Lifecycle Management, David is responsible for creating and executing the marketing strategy and managing the global marketing team that forms the foundation for Cybellum’s product and market penetration. Prior to Cybellum, David was CMO at SQream and VP Sales and Marketing at endpoint protection vendor, Cynet. David is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Jerusalem Technology College. He holds a BA in Information Systems Management and an MBA in International Business from the City University of New York.