Plant layout
Buildings, lines and yard at one scale, in modules by area.
Industrial and engineering scale models
Industrial and engineering scale models, 3D printed from your CAD: plants, equipment, production lines and infrastructure works to scale, with a presentation finish.
What an industrial scale model is
An industrial scale model, also called an engineering model, is a physical scale replica of a machine, a plant or a civil work, printed from the project. It shows, teaches or sells what does not fit in a room. Tesseract 3D prints in FDM and SLA resin at ±0.1 mm tolerance.
A render runs on any laptop. In an approval meeting, with several people around the table, the model is the one object everyone reads at once and everyone can point at. Infrastructure belongs here too: a highway, a bridge or a site compound reads like a factory layout, from above, with its surroundings. How to choose scale, detail and finish is covered in the industrial scale model guide.
The two lines of work
The whole site or a single machine. Each page has an anatomy, a spec sheet and questions.
Engineering recommends the scale in the review.
Equipment and machinery
A machine or an assembly, with the inside in half section.
No CAD file?
Photos from several angles and the main measurements also work. The engineering review tells you what can be done with them.
Plant or equipment?
The question is the size of what needs to show.
| Model | What it shows | How it is read | Who asks for it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plant layout | Buildings, lines, yard and flow | The whole, seen from above | Project engineering, leadership, construction |
| Equipment and machinery | One machine and what is inside it | The detail, seen up close | Sales, marketing, training |
| Infrastructure works | Roads, bridges and sites with their surroundings | The alignment and the terrain, from above | Contractors, concessionaires, public bodies |
Where an industrial scale model becomes a solution
The same file, four uses.
Training
The machine in cutaway, so the class sees inside.
Corporate gifts
A miniature of the machine on the decision maker’s desk.
Trade shows and events
The plant on the booth, without shipping the machine.
Sales demonstration
The whole machine on a sales visit.
At Fenasucro, exhibitors talk about their scale models
Three clients, filmed at their own booths. In 2024 one of them hauled trucks to the show; this time he brought the scale model.
Read the transcript
- Tesseract 3D
- You're spending money on trade shows that you didn't need to.
- Felipe, Kürper
- The scale model is excellent. It's a very versatile product, it helps us a lot, at big shows and small shows alike, to show what we're taking to the market as a solution, and it illustrates what we bring to the market in an incredible way. And it draws attention, it really draws customers' attention.
- Walace, WL
- It helps a lot. Transport is a different story, it changes completely. Setting up the booth gets much easier, much faster. It's 100%, totally worth it. My back thanks me: I'm saving on health insurance.
- Tesseract 3D, at the Spirax Sarco booth
- Look how beautiful. These were made for Spirax Sarco. Really light, and they help a lot with the presentation, the explanation, the teaching.
- Jean, Filtrando
- A fantastic scale model. It has helped a lot, not just here but in the company showroom too. In 2024 we did a show here and we had to bring trucks, equipment, and it was very hard: the logistics, the cost, even the presentation. Now, with the scale model, we can show the whole process, the details of the equipment.
- Tesseract 3D
- This is the work of Tesseract 3D: helping industries cut costs, teach better and present better.
Common questions
Are an industrial scale model and an engineering model the same thing?
They are two names for the same piece: a scale replica made from the project. "Engineering model" tends to be used when the model comes from CAD and has to stay true to it.
Do you make infrastructure models?
Yes. Roads, bridges, earthworks and site compounds are handled like a plant: in modules, with the terrain included.
Which files do you need?
STL, STEP or OBJ are the best starting point. Without 3D, a 2D layout, photos and dimensions also work; preparing the model goes into the quote.
How long does an industrial scale model take?
It depends on size, scale and detail, and the lead time comes in writing with the quote. If there is a trade show or meeting date, say so in your request.
Trade showThe scale piece goes to the booth instead of the real machine.
TrainingThe machine that cannot stop goes into the classroom, cut open.
Sales visitThe rep carries in a suitcase what would never fit in one.
A project to put on the table?
The engineering review comes back within 24 business hours, with recommended scale, feasibility and lead time.