New Energy Industrial Park Sand Table Model Case Study
Project Objective: To create a sand table model for a large-scale new energy industrial park that is accurate in scale, realistic in visual effect, and highly realistic, with a reproduction rate of over 90%, focusing on showcasing its modern park layout, core production areas, and new energy features.
Production Process and Materials:
Based on the detailed CAD drawings and renderings provided by the client, a three-dimensional digital model was created, with each building and structure's structural details precisely dissected.
Main Structure: High-Precision Cutting and Assembly
Building Main Structure: High-strength white ABS panels were selected as the primary material. All walls and floors were laser-cut with precision to ensure sharp edges and straight lines. Window frames are made using double-layer panel layering engraving or precision CNC slot cutting, with depth and proportions strictly adhering to the drawings. Large factories are assembled using precision positioning slot designs for layered assembly, ensuring structural stability and seamless joints, simulating the actual volume of a factory.
Photovoltaic and Special Structures:
Solar Panel Areas: Semi-transparent blue or dark grey acrylic sheets are used, with a fine sandblasted finish to simulate a glass-like texture. The base layer is screen-printed or laser-engraved with dark fine grid patterns to precisely simulate the arrangement of silicon wafers.
Energy Storage Devices/Specialised Factory Buildings: Cylindrical tanks or square boxes are constructed using a combination of ABS or acrylic tubes/sheets. The top pipe rack supports are welded or bonded using ABS rods of different diameters, arranged according to actual distribution.
Surface Texture and Detail Creation:
Exterior wall texture: According to the park design:
Smooth metal texture (factory/warehouse): ABS panels are sanded smooth and coated with high-grade metallic paint.
Insulated sandwich panel texture (production workshop): Special ABS panels with fine textures are selected, or thin adhesive panels are used to engrave vertical shallow stripes on the surface.
Glass curtain wall (R&D/office): Use transparent acrylic panels in light blue, light green, or grey, with extremely fine black PVC strips adhered to the back to precisely replicate the curtain wall divisions.
Equipment and Device Details: Core production equipment (e.g., coating machine contours, liquid injection machine housings) are manufactured using high-precision 3D printing (photopolymer resin material) to create the outer contours, followed by CNC machining to refine sharp edges. Pipes and valve assemblies are made from high-quality copper tubes of varying diameters and ABS rods/tubes, with surface treatments applied to enhance the metallic feel.
Factory pipeline racks: Assembled using ABS pipes and rods of various specifications, welded or bonded with special adhesives, and precisely arranged according to the on-site pipeline layout. Pipe supports are made from layered ABS sheets cut with a laser.
Professional colour and texture treatment:
Base coating: High-quality eco-friendly model paint is applied in separate areas:
Building structure: Strictly following design colour codes, the primary tones are silver, light grey, and tech blue, using matte or semi-matte finishes to avoid distortion caused by excessive reflection.
Roof: Dark grey and blue-grey matte paint to simulate industrial roof materials.
Pipes: Distinguish materials and functions, such as insulation layers (light grey/aluminium silver) and non-insulated pipes (medium grey/functional colour-coded bands). Use airbrush stippling techniques to subtly create three-dimensional lighting effects and enhance realistic rusting.
Detailed weathering and texture enhancement:
Light wash treatment: Apply light grey wash solution to building joints, equipment bases, and pipe rack connections to simulate dust accumulation and oil stains in industrial environments. Strictly control the intensity to avoid a dirty appearance, only hinting at the subtle traces of real-world wear.
Metal texture enhancement: Dry-brushing technique (e.g., lightly brushing with a brush dipped in a small amount of silver/aluminium paint) is applied to the edges/high points of metal components such as pipes, equipment housings, and door frames to create a worn-out effect revealing the underlying metal substrate.
Localised rust effects: Only non-core equipment and pipelines in older factory areas are given extremely subtle rust marks (using orange-yellow or reddish-brown transparent paint) to enhance a sense of historical accumulation. The model maintains an overall ‘brand-new’ state while retaining necessary authentic traces as hints.
Detailed environmental scene creation:
Road system: Precision-carved grey matte PVC panels are spray-painted with dark grey matte paint and feature light-coloured road markings (water transfer printing or precision screen printing). Factory hardened surfaces use light grey textured plastic sheets in the same colour family.
Landscaping:
Lawn: High-quality electrostatic flocked grass powder (multi-colour blend) is layered and compacted to achieve a natural transition effect.
Trees: Select high-quality seaweed trees and tree models (evergreen and deciduous combinations) in appropriate proportions, or custom laser-cut wooden tree frames + foam ball grass planting.
Shrubs/flower beds: Use laser-cut thin plastic sheets to construct flower bed structures, filled with corresponding proportions of flocked grass powder or finished miniature shrub models.
