The document describes the process of creating molds for an unmanned aerial vehicle fuselage. It involves stacking and gluing together foam pieces in four sets to form mold blocks. These blocks are then machined according to a 3D model to create four sections - two for each half of the fuselage mold. The two mold halves are aligned and combined using glue, then coated and used to create the laminar and lightweight fuselage halves through a wet layup process.

1. UAV For
Conservation
Fuselage Mold
Creation
3/30/15
(Updated 8/18/15)

2. Starting the process by matching up the
corresponding sets of foam stacks together,
adding up to four different total sets.

3. Continuation of
stacking
The first two matching sets.

4. Adding glue
Adding Gorilla Glue in between the matching
mold pieces, to combine them into one piece
which will then be machined into a part of
the fuselage assembly.
Four of these stacks will be put together, and
machined, resulting into four fuselage
components which will be combined to
create the fuselage as a whole.

5. Stacks
Two sets, (bottom 3 and top 2),*(the first and
second stacks are not glued together, just put
on top of each other to save space), of glued
together matching stacks of mold pieces.
Sufficient weight and duct tape added to the
top to compress and hold the glue and stacks
together.
First stack
(bottom 3)
Second stack
(top 2)

6. Second Set
Start of gluing the second set of two different
matching stacks of mold pieces.

7. Completion of Second Set
The same process was done for the second
set as the first set, with four sets of stacks
now glued independently together. Weights
and duct tape were also added to the second
set to compress and hold the sets together.
When these four stacks are done drying and
completely glued together, they will be used
with the machine part files and the machine
shop to machine each stack into a
component of the fuselage. From here the
sanding and wet layup process can begin.

8. Mold Pieces Machined
From 3D Model
After the blocks were glued to completion,
they were then machined through the WSU
machine shop with respect to the 3D model
created for the fuselage.
Four sections were created, two to make one
half and another two to make the other half
of the mold.

9. Mold Sets Combined and
Finished
The two mold halves were then aligned and
combined utilizing gorilla glue. Bondo was
used to fill in any seam gaps, and sanded
down.

10. Mold Coating and
Fuselage Halves Creation
The molds were lined with a coating of
Duratech, filled with a sandwich layer of
Aero-Mat between fiberglass while
performing a “wet lay up”, and then vacuum
bagged to complete the process.
Both halves were pulled out of the molds
after sufficient vacuum time, resulting in two
laminar, lightweight, and stiff fuselage halves.