{"id":2522,"date":"2025-10-09T10:10:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-09T17:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/westside3d.com\/layerlab\/?p=2522"},"modified":"2025-10-09T20:18:15","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T03:18:15","slug":"westside-3d-tid-hydroelectric-power-plant-model","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/westside3d.com\/layerlab\/westside-3d-tid-hydroelectric-power-plant-model\/","title":{"rendered":"WestSide 3D Partners with TID on Hydroelectric Power Plant Model"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At WestSide 3D, we love projects that go beyond everyday 3D prints and step into the world of education, engineering, and innovation<\/strong>. Recently, we partnered with Turlock Irrigation District (TID)<\/strong> to bring to life a 3D printed hydroelectric power plant model<\/strong> complete with a working Pelton turbine<\/strong> and demonstration components.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This project was originally designed by makers in the open-source community and featured on Hackaday<\/a>. We had the privilege of producing the full-scale version for TID to use as an interactive teaching tool<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How the Model Works<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The hydroelectric model demonstrates the core principles of renewable energy<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  • Potential \u2192 Kinetic Energy<\/strong>: Water stored at height flows downward, creating force.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Kinetic \u2192 Mechanical Energy<\/strong>: The Pelton turbine converts water flow into rotation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Mechanical \u2192 Electrical Energy<\/strong>: A BLDC motor acts as a generator.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Visual Power Indicator<\/strong>: An LED strip lights up to show electricity being produced.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    By changing the water flow<\/strong> or the height difference<\/strong>, students and observers can see in real time how energy production is affected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    The Printing Challenge<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    This project was big<\/strong> requiring 8 full build plates<\/strong> on our 16\u00d716\u00d720 printer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    • Plate 1: 40 hours \/ 720g<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Plate 2: 19 hours \/ 395g<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Plate 3: 14 hours \/ 300g (6 parts)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Plate 4: 32 hours \/ 629g<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Plate 5: 11.5 hours \/ 225g<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Plate 6: 36 hours \/ 611g<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Plate 7: 26 hours \/ 500g<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Plate 8: 28 hours \/ 385g<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      Estimated Print Time:<\/strong> ~207.5 hours
      Estimated Filament:<\/strong> ~3,765 grams (3.7 kg)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      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.

      The shape of the turbine created a significant challenge in the printing and we ultimately ended up having to reprint it several times. We also needed to re-modify portions of the design to account for a different generator being used. This ended up pushing the project’s print time a couple hundred hours over the original print time and a little over 2kg more in filament. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Final Print Time<\/strong> = 397 hours.
      FInal Filament<\/strong> = 5,800 grams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n