At WestSide 3D, we love projects that go beyond everyday 3D prints and step into the world of education, engineering, and innovation. Recently, we partnered with Turlock Irrigation District (TID) to bring to life a 3D printed hydroelectric power plant model — complete with a working Pelton turbine and demonstration components.
This project was originally designed by makers in the open-source community and featured on Hackaday. We had the privilege of producing the full-scale version for TID to use as an interactive teaching tool.
How the Model Works
The hydroelectric model demonstrates the core principles of renewable energy:
- Potential → Kinetic Energy: Water stored at height flows downward, creating force.
- Kinetic → Mechanical Energy: The Pelton turbine converts water flow into rotation.
- Mechanical → Electrical Energy: A BLDC motor acts as a generator.
- Visual Power Indicator: An LED strip lights up to show electricity being produced.
By changing the water flow or the height difference, students and observers can see in real time how energy production is affected.
The Printing Challenge
This project was big — requiring 8 full build plates on our 16×16×20 printer.
- Plate 1: 40 hours / 720g
- Plate 2: 19 hours / 395g
- Plate 3: 14 hours / 300g (6 parts)
- Plate 4: 32 hours / 629g
- Plate 5: 11.5 hours / 225g
- Plate 6: 36 hours / 611g
- Plate 7: 26 hours / 500g
- Plate 8: 28 hours / 385g
Total Print Time: ~207.5 hours
Total Filament: ~3,765 grams (3.7 kg)
Naturally, the print times and filament usage increased because of the tight overhangs and tricky geometry in this design, but in the end, we delivered a fully functional model.
Seeing all the parts come together into a working hydro plant model was nothing short of incredible.
Why Projects Like This Matter
This hydroelectric power plant model isn’t just a cool build — it’s a bridge between classroom learning and hands-on engineering. For TID, it provides a way to teach renewable energy concepts in an interactive, visual, and memorable way.
For us at WestSide3D, it shows how 3D printing can scale up to deliver professional, large-format, functional models for companies, schools, and organizations. Whether it’s a hydroelectric plant, architectural model, or industrial prototype — if you can imagine it, we can print it.
Central Valley 3D Printing
We’re grateful to Turlock Irrigation District for trusting WestSide3D with this project. If your company, school, or organization has an idea for a custom large-scale 3D printed model, get in touch with us today — we’d love to help bring it to life.
