The first full-scale print of this helmet did not become the final mold master. Before moving on to mold making, we needed to see how the digital model looked on a real person and adjust its scale and proportions.
The work also continued long after the first successful casting. The shell and separate components had to be fitted together by hand, while the paintwork went through three complete iterations. The result is a wearable helmet with all the tooling required for regular production.
The First Full-Scale Test
The process began with an initial 3D model. At this stage, we established the main shape of the helmet and continued refining its proportions, overall geometry, and separate elements.
The next step was a full-scale sizing print. It did not yet include the final level of detail and was never intended to become the mold master. Its purpose was to test the scale, fit, and proportions on a real person.
We needed to preserve the impact of the on-screen helmet while adapting it for actual wear. There had to be enough internal space for the helmet to fit over a person’s head without allowing the exterior proportions to create a bubble-head effect.
After the initial fitting, we temporarily added the main components to the sizing print so we could assess the helmet as a complete form.
The test showed that the model needed to be reduced by 1% and that its proportions required further adjustment.
We returned to the 3D model and made the necessary changes.
Instead of continuing with the existing sizing print and trying to compensate for the issues by hand, we printed the revised model again with the final level of detail. This new print became the basis for the master model.
From 3D Print to Master Model
The smaller helmet components were printed separately on an SLA printer. This process is better suited to parts where small surface details and precise geometry need to be reproduced clearly.
Once printed, the components were test-fitted to the main helmet to check their size and placement.
The printed shell already had the approved shape, but it was not ready for mold making. Print lines were still visible on the surface, while the seams, joints, and several individual areas required manual finishing.
The master model finisher sanded the helmet and its components, leveled the surfaces, applied filler where needed, and primed the prepared parts.
A large part of this work involved fitting the components together. A part may look correct on its own and still fail to align with the surrounding elements once assembled. The edges, connections, and joints were therefore adjusted by hand until the parts fitted together accurately.
At the same time, we cast test versions of the side respirator filter housings.
Once the post-processing was complete, we assembled the main components on the master model and checked their fit again. Any inaccuracies left at this stage could be transferred into the molds and repeated in future castings.
The First Molds and Cast Components
Separate silicone molds were made for the smaller components. The master parts were secured inside mold boxes, which were then filled with silicone.
The first components were cast from two-part casting resin.
A successful casting did not mean that the part was ready to use. We fitted the components to the helmet again, checked their connections, and continued refining the cast pieces by hand.
While the casting specialist and the casting finisher worked on the smaller components, preparation of the main helmet master continued. Several processes were running in parallel, but every part eventually had to come together in one precise assembly.
The Last Change Before Mold Making
Before making the main helmet mold, we reviewed the master model again.
On the on-screen helmet, the areas with rust and welding marks also have physical texture. We decided that these details should not be created with paint alone.
Just before mold making, we added raised damage and surface marks directly to the master model. These details would then be reproduced as part of the surface of every future casting and support the painted weathering applied later.
Making the Main Helmet Mold
Casting the main shell required both a flexible silicone mold and a rigid support shell to hold the silicone in the correct shape.
First, the mold maker secured the master model to a base and covered it with film. A layer of clay was then applied over the helmet. The thickness of this temporary clay layer established the space that would later be occupied by silicone.
A thin layer of blue silicone was applied over the clay. At this stage, it acted as a separator and prevented the rigid shell material from bonding to the clay.
The rigid support shell was then built up in layers around the helmet.
Alignment holes were made through the base and the cured support shell. These allowed the shell to be returned to exactly the same position around the master model later in the process.
Once cured, the support shell was removed and the clay and film were stripped away. A pour opening was made in the shell before it was returned to the base, aligned through the prepared holes, and sealed in place.
Silicone was then poured into the space between the master model and the rigid support shell. Once it had cured, the main helmet mold was complete.
The next image shows the master model on the left and the finished silicone mold in the center. On the right, the same mold has been turned inside out to expose its working surface. This is the surface that directly transfers the helmet’s shape and texture to the casting.
The First Helmet Casting
Once the mold was complete, we moved on to casting the main shell.
Two-part casting resin was poured into the finished mold, producing the first helmet casting.
A helmet does not come out of the mold ready for assembly. The casting still has to be cleaned, finished, and prepared for the remaining components.
The casting finisher worked on the surface, seams, and joints. The thin resin layer covering the future lens openings was also removed.
The cast components were then fitted to the shell again. As with the master model, the parts were adjusted by hand and checked as a complete assembly.
This work takes a considerable amount of time. Components return to the fitting stage after printing, after casting, and again after further finishing. This is how separate parts become one structure with accurately aligned joints, rather than a collection of pieces that only approximately fit together.
Three Paint Versions
Once the casting was prepared, we began painting the helmet. We used automotive paints and clear coat throughout this process. Our painters also work in automotive customization, and many of the painting and finishing techniques used on our helmets come from that field.
At the same time, the assembly and electronics specialist was developing the lenses, lighting system, and internal components.
The first paint version revealed several issues.
The exposed-metal wear was too bright. This affected both the areas where the paint had worn through to the metal beneath and the darker metal surfaces that were meant to appear lighter and more polished through wear.
We had also missed an important color detail: the upper section of the faceplate, around and below the lenses, needed to be green rather than gray.
The green helmet dome also looked too evenly painted. The solid color made the surface appear too clean compared with the version shown on screen.
For the second version, we corrected the color of the faceplate and added many small damage marks across the green surface. These broke up the uniform color and brought the distribution of wear closer to the on-screen appearance.
The second result was still not approved. The damage and rust looked unnatural, and we also decided that the gray areas of the helmet needed to be darker.
Each paint version was reviewed by a larger group rather than approved by the painter alone. The discussion included the development team, the founder of CyberCraft, the designer, and team members who know Fallout well. Together, we compared the result with frames from the series and identified what needed to change in the next iteration.
For the third version, we:
- reduced the intensity of the bright exposed-metal wear;
- kept the upper faceplate green;
- added small damage marks across the helmet dome;
- reworked the rust and the overall weathering pattern;
- darkened the gray sections.
By this point, two complete paint versions had already been finished. We continued because a completed paint job did not necessarily mean that the helmet looked the way it needed to.
Lenses and Interior
The lenses are made from PET sheet. We tint the material ourselves using red automotive window film, then cut each lens to the required shape. Visibility is maintained through the tinted lenses.
The assembly and electronics specialist also developed the lighting system, assembled the electrical circuit, soldered the wiring and switches, and installed the internal foam padding and fabric liner.
The finished helmet is wearable and fits head circumferences up to 23.5 inches.
Final Assembly
Once the third paint version was approved, we installed the lenses, lighting system, interior components, and the remaining exterior parts.
At this stage, every part of the process came together: 3D modeling, full-scale fitting, master-model preparation, mold making, casting, repeated hand-fitting, painting, electronics, and final assembly.
The NCR Power Armor Helmet is now fully developed and ready for regular production.
