> ## 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.

# Walled TPMS Unit Cell

## About this Block

**What it does:** Selects a Unit Cell from a library of Walled TPMS Unit Cells. This block is a 1 Parameter Unit Cell, requiring one parameter to define it.
The Unit Cell’s parameter is the Approximate thickness of the TPMS walls. Lattices generated may have a different wall thickness than your input value, and the deviation from the value may vary from one location to another on the part.

**Common uses:**

* Used with a Cell Map to create a **Periodic Lattice**

**Tips:**

* Use this block for initial design exploration when fast iterations are needed or for scenarios where exact wall thickness isn’t required. If you require exact thickness, use the Beta overload [Walled TPMS Unit Cell (Beta)](/block-documentation/blocks/lattices/unit-cells/walled-tpms-unit-cell.html/#beta) with the Exact thickness input checked.
* If you need to re-orient the Unit Cell, specify a new UVW using the Orientation drop-down.
* A Unit Cell Preview window appears when the block is visible. The preview shows the effect of different Approximate thickness and Mid-surface offset values and allows you to toggle the visibility of the Unit Cell’s Bounding Box and UVW guides.

![Unit Cell](https://storage.googleapis.com/files-learn/static/ExtendedBlockDocs/walledtpms.png)

<h3><a href="#beta" id="beta">Beta overload</a></h3>

## About this Block

**What it does:**  Selects a Unit Cell from a library of Walled TPMS Unit Cells. This block is a 1 Parameter Unit Cell, requiring one parameter to define it.
The Unit Cell’s parameter is the Thickness of the TPMS walls. When the Exact thickness input is not checked, the thickness value is approximate. Lattices generated may have a different wall thickness than desired, and the deviation from the input value may vary from one location to another on the part.

**Common uses:**

* Used with a Cell Map to create a **Periodic Lattice**

**Tips:**

* Lattices will generate much faster when Exact thickness is unchecked. Use this setting when fast iterations are needed or for scenarios where you do not require exact wall thickness. At later stages in the process, once you have finalized the design, check Exact thickness. This will refine the lattice’s wall thickness to match your input value.
* When Exact thickness is checked, all downstream operations, such as Booleans, meshing, slicing, etc., will take longer. To avoid this slow-down affecting multiple operations, you can mesh your Exact thickness TPMS using the **Mesh from Implicit Body block**, and then convert it back into an Implicit Body using the **Implicit Body from Mesh** block. Use this new implicit from the **Implicit Body from Mesh** block for all downstream modeling operations.
* If you need to re-orient the Unit Cell, specify a new UVW using the Orientation drop-down.
* A Unit Cell Preview window appears when the block is visible. The preview shows the effect of different Approximate thickness and Mid-surface offset values and allows you to toggle the visibility of the Unit Cell’s Bounding Box and UVW guides.

***

Single Parameter triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) Unit Cell. Minimal surfaces are defined as surfaces that have the minimum possible surface area stretched across a particular contour. TPMS Unit Cells are periodic in all 3 dimensions.
Parameter 1: Thickness - Thickness of the TPMS walls.

### Inputs

| Name            | Type                                               | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| --------------- | -------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Unit cell       | TPMS Enum                                          | The selected Unit Cell to populate the Lattice.                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| Orientation     | Permutation Enum                                   | Unit Cell Orientaion (UVW).                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| Exact thickness | [Bool](../../../../block-documentation/types/bool) | Option to refine wall thickness to match the desired value. When selected, generation of lattices that use this cell will be slower. Other downstream operations on this lattice, such as meshing and slicing, will also be slower. |

### Outputs

| Type                                                                                 |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| [1 Parameter Unit Cell](../../../../block-documentation/types/1-parameter-unit-cell) |