Industrial & engineering models

Bring the equipment into the conversation

The roof of our Data Center model lifts to reveal the systems below, and lighting guides tours of the facility. CWMF, which makes asphalt plant equipment, needed something entirely different: a model of a portable silo system that could travel to trade shows. Each was designed around the conversation the client needed to have.

Planning an industrial model

Start with the equipment, facility or process you need to explain, then identify what an exterior view cannot show: an internal component, a flow path or the relationship between systems. Drawings, CAD or STEP files and photographs help us plan the physical model. Tell us whether presenters need to lift a roof, remove a section or demonstrate movement, and whether the model must travel. Related guide: explaining a complex system with a scale model.

Industrial models for equipment, processes and facilities

Choose the model around what your audience needs to understand. An equipment model can bring a machine or component to a meeting or trade show; a cutaway can reveal the parts normally hidden inside. Our Westinghouse eVinci model uses a cutaway and color-separated components to explain the reactor’s internal layout.

A process model puts connected equipment in one view. CWMF’s portable silo-system model shows how the parts fit together and travels to trade shows.

A facility model explains a larger site. The Data Center model uses a lift-off roof and lighting to reveal systems below it, while KBG’s San Antonio model shows the main facility, roads, loading bays and neighboring buildings. Decide which of these jobs the model needs to do before choosing its scale and detail.

Planning a factory or manufacturing-facility model

For a factory model, mark the buildings, access routes and loading areas, then identify any internal equipment the audience needs to see. A site overview and a closer equipment demonstration may need different views. Our PAI campus model keeps the buildings and infrastructure together; CWMF’s portable silo-system model focuses on equipment for a trade-show demonstration.

For campuses, see data center models; for reactors and solar, see energy and nuclear models.

Maritime and waterfront model briefs

The U.S. Coast Guard’s waterfront training model brings a port facility into the classroom, including a ship, cargo areas, a crane and a warehouse. Instructors use the physical scene alongside lectures and demonstrations, so students can point to a location while keeping the wider facility in view. The model’s job is to make the setting clear; the teaching materials explain the procedures and requirements.

For a separate vessel or yacht model, define what the audience needs to see: the exterior form, selected systems or the vessel in its wider setting. Source drawings, photographs, the display space and the intended viewing distance help define the brief. A vessel-only presentation and a port training scene need different information, so describe the purpose before deciding the scale and detail.

What it costs

Each project receives a fixed-cost proposal after we understand its scope. Cost factors include model size and scale, the number and uniqueness of components, internal detail, cutaways, materials and working features. We also account for the schedule, shipping and installation where applicable. See what a custom scale model costs.

Common questions

What is an engineering scale model?

A physical model, built to a chosen scale, that explains how equipment, a facility or a system is arranged. Ours are display models made to tell a clear story to customers, investors or the public.

What do you need to start an industrial model?

Drawings, CAD or STEP files and photographs. We'll also ask which parts people need to see and whether the model will travel.

Can an industrial model travel to trade shows?

Yes. The CWMF silo-system model was built to travel, and we plan handling, transport and protective cases from the start. See trade show models.

How much does an industrial or engineering model cost?

Each project receives a fixed-cost proposal after we understand its scope. Cost factors include model size and scale, the number and uniqueness of components, internal detail, cutaways, materials and working features. We also account for the schedule, shipping and installation where applicable.

Have an equipment or facility project to discuss?

Tell us what the model needs to show, who will see it and when you need it. We'll help you plan the scale, details and budget.