汽车外部面板的外观要求非常严格，概括为A级表面质量。将SMC、RTM等塑料复合材料成功应用于汽车外板应用中的一个主要困难是在大批量生产环境中实现可接受的A级表面质量。讨论了一种检测工具，该工具提供了一种以全场非接触方式快速确定汽车覆盖件表面质量的方法。

THE APPEARANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR AUTOMOTIVE EXTERIOR PANELS ARE VERY STRINGENT AND ARE SUMMARIZED IN THE TERM CLASS A SURFACE QUALITY. A MAJOR DIFFICULTY IN THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION OF PLASTIC COMPOSITE MATERIALS SUCH AS SMC, RTM, ETC. TO AUTOMOTIVE EXTERIOR PANEL APPLICATIONS IS THE ACHIEVEMENT OF ACCEPTABLE CLASS A SURFACE QUALITY IN A HIGH-VOLUME PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENT. AN INSPECTION TOOL TO PROVIDE A MEANS TO RAPIDLY DETERMINE THE SURFACE QUALITY OF AUTOMOTIVE PANELS IN A FULL FIELD NONCONTACT MANNER IS DISCUSSED.