Our Scale Models & Visualisation Portfolio

Custom scale models for industrial presentations, scientific education and RC hobbies, bringing complex structures and detailed designs into physical form.

Scale Models & Visualisation Projects

Industrial & Infrastructure Models

DESALINATION PLANT

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VON BACH WATER PLANT

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COASTAL WATER SCHEME

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the incinerator model

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Scientific & Educational Models

H.E.S.S. telescope

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NamWater Desalination Plant - Innovation in Motion

Client: NamWater
Industry: Architectural Models
Service: 3D Modelling • Electronic Integration • Educational Display Models

Project Overview

Upon being awarded a tender, Printhoek 3D collaborated with NamWater to develop an educational miniature model of the Swakopmund Desalination Plant designed as an interactive educational and stakeholder demonstration tool.

To accurately represent the facility, our team conducted on-site visits coordinated through Orano Group, studying the infrastructure’s layout and process flow. Due to IP restrictions, we reconstructed the plant using NASA and USGS terrain data, Google Maps imagery, and the engineer provided visuals ensuring both technical accuracy and creative representation. In addition we collaborated with the NamWater stakeholders to finalise the design.

The model, measuring 700 × 800 mm, combined FDM and MSLA 3D printing to balance large structural elements with fine detail. The entire assembly was designed and developed by Printhoek 3D showcasing its ability to offer turnkey solutions in the architectural modelling industry.

 Highlights

  • Hybrid 3D Printing: FDM for structures, MSLA for fine components

  • Integrated Electronics: Arduino-controlled LEDs simulate each treatment stage

  • Interactive Push-Button Cycle: Demonstrates water flow from intake to output

  • Custom Airbrushed Terrain: Hand-painted by professional tattoo artist, Kelly Reissner for realism

  • Turnkey Engineering Solution: Including welded stand, enclosures, and assembly

 Purpose & Impact

This model enables stakeholder education, showcasing how Namibia’s desalination systems operate and how public funds are utilized. NamWater now deploys it at major exhibitions such as the Ongwediva Trade Fair, Mining Expo, and other industry events helping them communicate complex water treatment processes through tangible, functional design.

The project spanned two months, with iterative design reviews and prototype testing to ensure precision and durability.

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Von Bach Surface Water Treatment Plant -Engineering Water in Motion

Client: NamWater
Industry: Architectural Models
Service: 3D Modelling • Electronic Simulation • Interactive Display

Project Overview

The Von Bach Surface Water Treatment Plant model was created to illustrate the full water purification process in a visually engaging and educational format. After an on-site visit with NamWater engineers, including M.K. Kayofa and Esther Hatutele, the Printhoek 3D team mapped the plant layout using a combination of SolidWorks drawings, NASA/USGS terrain data, and Google Maps imagery.

Collaborating with NamWater engineers onsite and Seelenbinder Consulting Engineers (SCE) and guided by reference materials provided by Director Elton Heyman, we recreated the facility at 700 × 800 mm scale, ensuring an accurate representation of the treatment process from intake to output.

Highlights

  • Integrated Electronics: Arduino-based LED sequencing to demonstrate treatment stages

  • Mechanical Simulation: Servo motors animate the clariflocculators for realism

  • Hybrid 3D Printing: FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) methods for fine structural detailing

  • Custom Airbrushed Terrain: Professional finishing by tattoo artist Kelly Reisner

  • Turnkey Design: Stand, enclosure, and full assembly completed in-house

Impact

This compact yet detailed model helps NamWater visually communicate the complex treatment process to stakeholders, educational institutions, and visitors.
It forms part of a series of interactive display models developed for NamWater each highlighting the integration of engineering, design, and technology in public infrastructure visualization.

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Coastal Water Supply Scheme - Mapping Erongo’s Lifeline

Client: NamWater
Industry: Architectural Models
Service: 3D Terrain Modelling • Electronic Integration • Educational Demonstration Model

Project Overview

The Coastal Water Supply Scheme model presented a unique challenge. Following multiple consultations with M.K Kayofa and Esther Hatutale and an on-site visit to NamWater’s Swakopmund base with Janine Vorster, Printhoek 3D was tasked with visualizing how water flows from key regional sources including the Omdel Dam and Swakopmund Desalination Plant , as well as the Southern Reservoirs to supply both mining operations and areas across Swakopmund and Walvis Bay.

To achieve this, our team combined Google Maps data, NASA/USGS terrain datasets, and custom pipeline layouts designed with addressable LED lighting to trace the water’s journey across the coast. The final display measured 1.0 × 1.5 meters, composed of 40 precision 3D printed tiles seamlessly joined to form a realistic terrain base.

Highlights

  • Terrain Reconstruction: Based on Google Maps & NASA/USGS data

  • Interactive Lighting: Arduino-controlled LEDs simulate water flow direction

  • High Precision Assembly: 40 interlocking 3D printed tiles with tight tolerances

  • Custom Finishing: Professional airbrushed terrain detailing by tattoo artist, Kelly Reissner

  • Scale Model Dimensions: 1.0 m × 1.5 m

Impact

This large-scale educational model helps NamWater visually demonstrate the interconnected flow of Namibia’s coastal water network, from source to distribution. It stands as a tangible representation of national infrastructure merging engineering accuracy, data visualization, and artistic craftsmanship into a single functional exhibit.

The Coastal Scheme was the first and largest of three NamWater models completed, spanning roughly three months of development

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Containerized Incinerator Scale Model - Technical Concept Communication

Client: Namibia Medical Engineering
Industry: Industrial / Medical Waste Management
Service: LiDAR Scanning • CAD Development • Scale Model Design • Additive Manufacturing

Project Overview

Printhoek 3D was commissioned by Namibia Medical Engineering to create a physical scale model of a proposed containerized incinerator system for presentation at Mining Expo.

The project was not a simple display model. The client needed a physical representation of an evolving technical concept that could be reviewed, understood, and presented before full-scale deployment. This required the model to remain connected to the real system while still being practical to manufacture at scale-model size.

Using a combination of manual measurements, LiDAR scan data, CAD development, and additive manufacturing, PH3D translated the concept into a physical model that could communicate layout, structure, and system intent clearly to stakeholders.

The final model allowed the proposed containerized incinerator system to be presented in a way that drawings and digital references alone could not achieve.

Highlights

  • Scale model of a proposed containerized incinerator system
  • Combination of manual measurements and LiDAR scan data
  • CAD development for physical model production
  • Additive manufacturing of detailed model components
  • Technical communication tool for Mining Expo presentation
  • Physical model used to support stakeholder understanding and review

Impact

This project shows how physical models can support industrial decision-making before a full-scale system is built.

By converting an evolving technical concept into a tangible model, Printhoek 3D helped Namibia Medical Engineering communicate the system more clearly, support stakeholder discussions, and present the project with greater confidence at Mining Expo.

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H.E.S.S. Telescope - Small-Scale Educational
Model

Client: Dr. Michael Backes & UNAM
Industry: Miniature Scale Models
Service: 3D Printing • Scale Modelling • Assembly & Finishing

Project Overview

Printhoek 3D was commissioned by Dr. Michael Backes, an astrophysicist and lecturer based in Namibia, to fabricate a small-scale model of the H.E.S.S. Telescope the High Energy Stereoscopic System, a gamma-ray observatory located in Namibia’s Khomas Highland region.

The model was intended for educational and outreach use, helping visualize the complex mechanical structure of the telescope and its tracking system. We were supplied with CAD data, which required extensive optimization for 3D printing due to the model’s intricate geometry and fine framework.

Each unit was 3D printed in multiple parts, including delicate struts and rotational elements, which were later assembled into functional miniature replicas. To enhance spatial understanding, each model also included a scaled vehicle to indicate the real-world size of the actual telescope array.

In total, over 20 complete models were produced, all assembled and quality-checked for consistent detailing.

Highlights

  • 3D-printed scale models of the H.E.S.S. Telescope

  • CAD optimization for thin structural elements and moving parts

  • Over 20 assembled units for educational and outreach use

  •  Collaboration with Dr. Michael Backes, astrophysics lecturer

Impact

Through precision modelling and scalable fabrication, Printhoek 3D transformed complex astronomical infrastructure into accessible, tangible teaching tools enabling students and visitors to better understand the engineering behind one of Africa’s leading astrophysics research facilities.

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Whitney Namwi Ntema

Whitney is an industrial designer redefining the intersection of creativity and advanced manufacturing. At Printhoek 3D, she bridges engineering precision and visual design, ensuring every product reflects both function and identity. Her expertise in digital fabrication and branding enhances the bureau’s capabilities, turning innovation into design that inspires.

Whitney Namwi Ntema

Industrial Designer & Branding Specialist

Daniel Godfrey

Daniel is a mechatronic engineer with a strong background in programming, electronics, and product development. He has collaborated with Printhoek 3D on groundbreaking projects such as PET recycling systems and advanced prototyping solutions. Driven by curiosity and problem-solving, he brings research and innovation that turn ambitious ideas into practical technologies.

Daniel James Godfrey

Mechatronic Engineer & R&D Specialist

Justin Cole

Justin oversees workshop operations and ensures every print that leaves Printhoek 3D meets uncompromising quality standards. With years of hands-on expertise in additive manufacturing, inspection, and post-processing, he is dedicated to producing precise, reliable results. His eye for detail and commitment to excellence safeguard the bureau’s reputation for world-class precision.

Justin Rain Cole

Workshop & Quality Lead

Gino Fourie

Gino blends mechanical design expertise with sharp business and financial insight to keep Printhoek 3D operating at peak efficiency. From managing multi-printer farms to implementing real-time tracking systems, he ensures smooth workflows and scalable growth. His ability to connect engineering precision with strategic operations makes him a driving force behind the bureau’s expansion.

Gino Fourie

Head of Operations

Romar Quitasol

Romar is a mechanical engineer and entrepreneur driving Industry 4.0 in Namibia. He founded Printhoek 3D to pioneer advanced additive manufacturing and has over a decade of experience in 3D printing, scanning, and mechanical design. His mission is to push the boundaries of what’s possible, transforming complex engineering challenges into future-ready solutions

Rodolfo Marcial (Romar) Rañola Quitasol

Founder & CEO