In Automotive Design, a Class A surface is any of a set of freeform surfaces of high efficiency and quality. Although, strictly, it is nothing more than saying the surfaces have curvature and tangency alignment – to ideal aesthetical reflection quality, many people interpret class A surfaces to have G2 (or even G3) curvature continuity to one another.
Class A surfacing is done using Computer Aided Industrial design (CAID) applications like Autodesk Alias. Class A surface modelers are also called Digital Designers in the industry. Industrial Designers develop their design styling through the A-Surface, the physical surface someone can feel, touch and see.
In Alias, Class A surfaces are created on all visible exterior surfaces (ex: body panels, bumper, grill, lights etc.) and all visible surfaces of see-touch & feel parts in interior (ex: Dashboard, seats, door pads etc.). This can also include beauty covers in the engine compartment, mud flaps, trunk panels and carpeting.
A common method of working is to start with a prototype model and produce smooth mathematical Class A surfaces to describe the product’s outer body. From this the production of tools and inspection of finished parts can be carried out. Class A surfacing complements the prototype modelling stage by reducing time and increasing control over design iterations.
Class A surfaces can be defined as any surface, that has styling intent, that is either seen, touched, or both and mathematically meets the definition for Bezier.
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