> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.ntop.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Lattice from Surface Mesh

## About this Block

**What it does:** Creates a Lattice from a Surface Mesh, with a configurable method of latticing and thickness.

**Tips:**

* Choose from the following lattice creation methods:
  * **Mesh edges:** Creates lattice beams along the mesh edges.
  * **Vertex Centroid:** Creates a vertex at each mesh face's centroid and the mesh vertices. Lattice beams connect the vertices.
  * **Dual:** Creates a vertex at the centroid of each mesh face and creates a connecting beam to the next closest mesh centroid.
  * **Mesh Boundary:** Creates lattice beams around the boundary of the mesh. There is no boundary if the mesh is closed, so no lattice is created.
  * **Mesh Features:** Creates lattice beams at the mesh features, like edges.
* You can use triangular and quad meshes.
* The Thickness of the lattice is a Scalar Field type, which allows for a variable Thickness.
* Open up the block's Properties Panel to view the beam, implicit, and thick graph properties.
  * These properties are populated based on the type of Unit Cell you use. An error sign with a tooltip appears next to the property if it is empty.

![Lattice from Surface Mesh](https://storage.googleapis.com/files-learn/static/ExtendedBlockDocs/lattice_from_surface_mesh.png)

***

Creates a Lattice from a surface Mesh using the features specified in the method input.

### Inputs

| Name                                                                                                                                                                                | Type                                                               | Description                                        |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------- |
| Surface mesh                                                                                                                                                                        | [Mesh](../../../../block-documentation/types/mesh)                 | Mesh from which to construct the Lattice.          |
| Method                                                                                                                                                                              | Surface Lattice Enum                                               | The Mesh features to use for Lattice construction. |
| Mesh Edges: Beams created from Mesh element edges.                                                                                                                                  |                                                                    |                                                    |
| Vertex Centroid: Beams created from the centroid of each face to each vertex.                                                                                                       |                                                                    |                                                    |
| Dual: Beams created from the centroid of each face to the midpoint of each face's edge.                                                                                             |                                                                    |                                                    |
| Mesh Boundary: Beams created from the boundary edge (if exists) of the Mesh.                                                                                                        |                                                                    |                                                    |
| Mesh Features: Beams created from the boundary edges, from edges with 2 incident triangles where the angle between their face normals is > 20 degrees, and from non-manifold edges. |                                                                    |                                                    |
| Thickness                                                                                                                                                                           | [Scalar Field](../../../../block-documentation/types/scalar-field) | Lattice beam thickness.                            |

### Outputs

| Type                                                     |
| -------------------------------------------------------- |
| [Lattice](../../../../block-documentation/types/lattice) |