Class A surfaces
Encyclopedia
Class A surfaces is a term used in automotive design
Automotive design
Automotive design is the profession involved in the development of the appearance, and to some extent the ergonomics, of motor vehicles or more specifically road vehicles. This most commonly refers to automobiles but also refers to motorcycles, trucks, buses, coaches, and vans...

 to describe a set of freeform surfaces
Freeform surface modelling
Freeform surface modelling is the art of engineering Freeform Surfaces with a CAD or CAID system.The technology has encompassed two main fields...

 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 (see freeform surface modelling
Freeform surface modelling
Freeform surface modelling is the art of engineering Freeform Surfaces with a CAD or CAID system.The technology has encompassed two main fields...

).

Class A surfacing is done using computer-aided industrial design
Computer-aided industrial design
Computer-aided industrial design is a subset of computer-aided design that includes software that directly helps in product development....

 applications. Class A surface modellers are also called "digital sculptors" in the industry. Industrial Design
Industrial design
Industrial design is the use of a combination of applied art and applied science to improve the aesthetics, ergonomics, and usability of a product, but it may also be used to improve the product's marketability and production...

ers develop their design styling through the A surface, the physical surface the end user can feel, touch, see etc.

A common method of working is to start with a prototype model and produce smooth mathematical Class A surfaces to describe the products 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.

A class A surface can be defined as any surface that has styling intent.

Clay Modeling

Class A surfacing / digital sculpting is similar to clay modelling with the added advantage of computing power to change or incorporate design changes in existing/new design.
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