diff --git a/js/materials/DMAMaterials.js b/js/materials/DMAMaterials.js
index b403afa063fd054734af8e78e11a0f20ecf91ab1..3353d61ea145ecc0142c0cc4f30b2b6f93133907 100644
--- a/js/materials/DMAMaterials.js
+++ b/js/materials/DMAMaterials.js
@@ -84,9 +84,12 @@ define(['underscore', 'three', 'appState', 'lattice', 'plist', 'threeModel'], fu
 
     function setMaterialDefaults(){
         var materialType = appState.get("materialType");
-        if (!materials[materialType].dimensions) return;
-        appState.set("superCellRange", materials[materialType].dimensions.clone());
         appState.set("superCellIndex", new THREE.Vector3(0,0,0));
+        if (materials[materialType].dimensions){
+            appState.set("superCellRange", materials[materialType].dimensions.clone());
+        } else if (lattice.get("connectionType") == "gik"){
+            appState.set("superCellRange", new THREE.Vector3(appState.get("gikLength"), 1, 1));
+        }
     }
 
     return materials;
diff --git a/js/menus/templates/LatticeMenuView.html b/js/menus/templates/LatticeMenuView.html
index d7cfcd1c5f950877ce4aa759ec0f4d203039b23d..9bf394ae41a37d1f6a655867fc9cf31796ea31fe 100644
--- a/js/menus/templates/LatticeMenuView.html
+++ b/js/menus/templates/LatticeMenuView.html
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ Cell Connection:  
         </ul>
     </div><br/><br/>
 <% if (connectionType == "gik") { %>
-    GIK Length:&nbsp;&nbsp;<input data-property="superCellRange" data-key="x" value="<%= superCellRange.x %>" placeholder="GIK length" class="form-control intInput appState" type="text"><br/><br/>
+    GIK Length:&nbsp;&nbsp;<input data-property="gikLength" value="<%= gikLength %>" placeholder="GIK length" class="form-control intInput appState" type="text"><br/><br/>
 <% } %>
 <a href="#" class="clearCells btn btn-block btn-lg btn-danger">Clear All Cells</a><br/>
 Num Cells:&nbsp;&nbsp;<%= numCells %><br/>
diff --git a/js/models/AppState.js b/js/models/AppState.js
index b282da4ce6b37072c26470b0d64f81fff50bc1bc..fa11e4e5901341224a75c58affbc862bfedd817d 100644
--- a/js/models/AppState.js
+++ b/js/models/AppState.js
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ define(['underscore', 'backbone', 'threeModel', 'three', 'plist', 'globals'], fu
             cellsVisible: true,
 
             superCellIndex: new THREE.Vector3(0,0,0),//offset of superCell adds
+            gikLength: 4,//this updates super cell range when using non-composite materials
             superCellRange: new THREE.Vector3(1,1,1),
 
             realisticColorScheme: false,
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@ define(['underscore', 'backbone', 'threeModel', 'three', 'plist', 'globals'], fu
             this.listenTo(this, "change:currentTab", this._tabChanged);
             this.listenTo(this, "change:currentNav", this._navChanged);
             this.listenTo(this, "change:materialType", this._materialTypeChanged);
+            this.listenTo(this, "change:gikLength", this._gikLengthChanged);
 
             this.downKeys = {};//track keypresses to prevent repeat keystrokeson hold
 
@@ -125,6 +127,12 @@ define(['underscore', 'backbone', 'threeModel', 'three', 'plist', 'globals'], fu
             });
         },
 
+        _gikLengthChanged: function(){
+            if (this.get("materialType").substr(0,5) != "super"){
+                this.set("superCellRange", new THREE.Vector3(this.get("gikLength"), 1, 1));
+            }
+        },
+
         ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
         /////////////////////KEY BINDINGS//////////////////////////////////////////////
         ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -200,9 +208,7 @@ define(['underscore', 'backbone', 'threeModel', 'three', 'plist', 'globals'], fu
                 case 57:
                     if (this.lattice.get("connectionType") != "gik") break;
                     if (state) {
-                        var range = this.get("superCellRange").clone();
-                        range.x = e.keyCode-48;
-                        this.set("superCellRange", range);
+                        this.set("gikLength", e.keyCode-48);
                     }
                     break;
                 case 87://w - increase supercell index