Exploratory fabrication techniques present new challenges for the reproducibility of small scale automation workflows. In this short paper, we investigate how to repeat, reproduce, and remix exploratory 3D printing workflows. Motivated by challenges in existing online communities, we introduce a platform for sharing computationally fabricated objects. We then propose strategies to support replicability that adapt common end-user programming tools to fabrication. These include ‘diff’ tools for comparing code and its corresponding physical output across iterations, linting tools to communicate process details found through material testing, and remix graphs to facilitate the discovery of relevant models. Through the production and reproduction of several example artifacts across various machines and materials, we demonstrate how our platform supports replication of exploratory workflows. Based on our work, we discuss how to close the loop between exploratory digital fabrication tools and community.

Digital fabrication practice such as 3D printing has increasingly moved into home and hobbyist environments. Beyond running machines, practitioners in these settings undertake maintenance and repair. However, acquiring the skills necessary for machine maintenance is a non-trivial process contingent on experience, equipment, and materials. We seek to better understand how practitioners develop the skills necessary to maintain their 3D printers. We collect interview and survey data from active members of online 3D printing communities to conceptualize themes to characterize current maintenance practice. We find that maintenance is core to our participants’ 3D printing practice: practitioners develop maintenance routines that formalize tacit understandings of fabrication processes, advance expertise during required acts of repair, and rely on hands-on testing to reconcile differences between physical prints and digital models. Given our findings, we argue for considering maintenance as a core part of digital fabrication, and discuss implications for the design of future digital fabrication systems.

Creative coders create programs that generate visual output. Frameworks such as p5.js support sketching with creative code. Given the focus on expressivity over functionality, code reuse in creative coding practice is distinct from other programming contexts. Remixing facilitates iteration on existing code, but we have yet to understand how creative coders use remixing in practice. To understand creative coder remixing strategies, we studied the community of OpenProcessing, a site dedicated to sharing code-generated artworks. We found that 30% of the 1.2 million sketches in our data set were involved in remixing. For in-depth insight, we qualitatively analyze source code and visual output of 350 antecedent-remix pairs. We present on the diversity of ways that authors remix to curate projects, annotate process, explore variations, and transform existing sketches. We discuss the prevalence of these types and implications for supporting a multiplicity of remixing strategies in creative work.

Machine settings and tuning are critical for digital fabrication outcomes. However, exploring these parameters is non-trivial. We seek to enable exploration of the full design space of digital fabrication. To identify where we might intervene, we studied how practitioners approach 3D printing. We found that beyond using CAD/CAM, they create bespoke routines and workflows to explore interdependent material and machine settings. We seek to provide a system that supports this workflow development. We identified design goals around material exploration, fine-tuned control, and iteration. Based on these, we present p5.fab, a system for controlling digital fabrication machines from the creative coding environment p5.js. We demonstrate p5.fab with examples of 3D prints that cannot be made with traditional 3D printing software. We evaluate p5.fab in workshops and find that it encourages novel printing workflows and artifacts. Finally, we discuss implications for future digital fabrication systems.