---
title: Cell Size Adaptivity
slug: software/cell-size-adaptivity
description: Learn how to improve conformity to smaller features in lattice designs with cell size adaptivity in Carbon Design Engine.
docTags:
createdAt: 2024-06-06T00:05:50.163Z
---
# Cell Size Adaptivity Overview
Cell size adaptivity allows for greater control in conforming a lattice to smaller features in the design space.
Cell size selection in Design Engine allows for choosing the **main cell size** as part of the unit cell. The main cell size may not work well for small features, even when the size works for the rest of the part.** Cell size adaptivity **allows you to select an alternate smaller cell size, for better conformity **to smaller features**. In doing so, you can keep most of the lattice less dense, but allow a tighter conformity at the surface where needed.
# Cell Size Adaptivity Guidelines and Tools
[Cell Size Guidelines](docId\:f-f8ROxDabcRrBEUDh6Q1) provide basic recommendations for cell size adaptivity based on your overall part geometry.
Design Engine also offers multiple tools to analyze (either your lattice or your geometry) and provide feedback for cell size adaptivity: [Adaptivity](docId\:bRvmOw6LOHBP06yIA5N0k) and [Analysis](docId\:xtN8Td3DzR4G7acDr8_3b). Users can use the analysis feedback to manually select a smaller cell size for smaller features via [cell size adaptivity](docId\:UpBQxWWLjaafbScteZwEd) or can directly apply suggested cell sizes where advised via a [cell size adaptivity table](docId\:UpBQxWWLjaafbScteZwEd).
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Alternatively, you can use the provided feedback to inform you on areas of the design space warranting either a **design change** or separate [Zones](docId\:eFk8RIevt0JGCmQHe2IFV).
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## Workflow Options
There are multiple workflow paths to use the analysis tools and enable cell size adaptivity, illustrated in this path diagram. Reference [Analysis](docId\:xtN8Td3DzR4G7acDr8_3b) and [Adaptivity](docId\:bRvmOw6LOHBP06yIA5N0k) for their respective workflows. From there,
# Cell Size Adaptivity
## Workflow
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1. Hover over analysis or adaptivity points to view recommended cell sizes
2. Create a Strut Lattice
1. Select boundary mesh
2. Enter unit cell parameters
3. Click Advanced - Lattice Population
1. Cell Size Adaptivity -
Choose a small cell size closest to suggested size
3. Click Generate
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## Example
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In this example, most of the part is large and meets performance needs with a cell size of 12 mm.
When using a main cell size of 12 mm and **no cell size adaptivity**, the smallest feature **does not fully populate** with lattice struts.
**Cell size suggestions in the small feature area:**
- [Cell Size Guidelines](docId\:f-f8ROxDabcRrBEUDh6Q1) advise a cell size of 6.75 mm
- **Analysis** tool suggests a cell size of 5.79 - 5.8 mm
- **Thickness & Adaptivity** tool suggests a cell size of 6.46 - 6.5 mm
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**Cell Size Adaptivity**
- Select a smaller cell size from the cell size adaptivity pull-down menu
- Options are 1/1, 1/2, 1/4 or 1/8 of the main cell size
- **1/2 of the main cell size** closely matches the recommendations in this example (6 mm)
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**Cell Size Adaptivity Result**
Voronoi - 12 mm main cell size with **1/2 of main** (6 mm) cell size adaptivity
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# Cell Size Adaptivity Table
Instead of selecting a single cell size from the adaptivity pull down menu, you can choose to use the analysis data points to **adapt cell size exactly as analyzed in only the areas suggested**.
## Workflow
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1. Hover over analysis or adaptivity points to view recommended cell sizes
2. Create a Strut Lattice
1. Select boundary mesh
2. Enter unit cell parameters
3. Click Advanced - Lattice Population
1. Cell Size Adaptivity Table -
Choose Adaptivity Analysis or Cell Size Adaptivity
3. Click Generate
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# Adaptivity Results Comparison
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**Standard Cell Size Adaptivity Results**
Note how the standard cell size adaptivity results will use the smaller cell size for conformity throughout the part, not just in the area of the small feature size.
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**Analysis Results**
Using the Analysis data points for adaptivity applies conformity only in the area where a different cell size was recommended.
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**Thickness & Adaptivity Results**
The Thickness & Adaptivity data points, however, did not make a difference in the resulting lattice. The end of the small feature reads the full depth of the part, which does not yield a smaller suggested cell size.
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Refer to [Adaptivity](docId\:bRvmOw6LOHBP06yIA5N0k) and [Analysis](docId\:xtN8Td3DzR4G7acDr8_3b) for more information on when to use each tool per your geometry.
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