---
title: "Thicken"
url: "https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/html/OSOLIDIFYGENERATOR.html"
section_path: "Create Menu > Generators > Thicken"
element_id: "OSOLIDIFYGENERATOR"
command_id: "1060179"
description: "This page documents the Thicken generator in Cinema 4D. It gives paper-thin surfaces a real wall thickness — essential for 3D printing, believable …"
---

# Thicken

> **Note:** **What is it about?**
>
> This page documents the **Thicken generator** in **Cinema 4D**. It gives paper-thin surfaces a real wall thickness — essential for 3D printing, believable openings and volume-dependent effects like subsurface scattering.

Normally, you model objects with only the outer surface visible to the camera. However, if the surface is broken through, the object should be output to a 3D printer, or of certain render effects require a suitable volume (e.g., Subsurface Scattering), this 'paper-thin' surface must be given a wall thickness. This is done by vertically moving a duplicated surface:

![Image: 2023-2_solidify_01.png](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/2023-2_solidify_01.png)

The wall thickness can be affected via Vertex Maps.

Since Selection tags are assigned internally for the original surface, caps and the border, these can each be assigned a separate material.

Note also the [Thicken](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/html/TOOLSOLIDIFY.html.md) tool that interactively does something similar.

# Example

The thickness of the Thicken generator is animated here.

[Video: 2026-0_thicken_generator_01_.mp4](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/2026-0_thicken_generator_01_.mp4)

[![Image: halvar.png](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/halvar.png)](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/Resources/Scenes/2026-0_thicken_generator_01_.c4d)