It's Not the Shape, It's the Settings: Tools for Exploring, Documenting, and Sharing Physical Fabrication Parameters in 3D Printing

The material properties of 3D prints depend on their constituent materials, how they were printed, and local geometrical features. Motivated by challenges in sharing physical details of 3D printing workflows including machine state and print settings, we contribute tools to support the exploration of the vast design space these interdependent parameters make up. Inspired by live music performance and video captioning, we contribute an interactive controller for parameters not represented in geometry such as speed and extrusion rate, and a system for automatically syncing video documentation to machine settings, G-Code, and print commands. By synchronizing video with machine instructions and interactive adjustments, we archive the relationship between digital settings and physical output for revisiting and sharing. We demonstrate example workflows in multiple materials. Our approach suggests how maker tools that promote settings exploration and sharing can support the integration of fabrication technologies in new contexts, with new materials.