diff --git a/app-proto/src/add_remove.rs b/app-proto/src/add_remove.rs
index fce4c37..7ee20aa 100644
--- a/app-proto/src/add_remove.rs
+++ b/app-proto/src/add_remove.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-use std::collections::BTreeSet; /* DEBUG */
 use sycamore::prelude::*;
 use web_sys::{console, wasm_bindgen::JsValue};
 
@@ -7,64 +6,52 @@ use crate::{engine, AppState, assembly::{Assembly, Constraint, Element}};
 /* DEBUG */
 fn load_gen_assemb(assembly: &Assembly) {
     let _ = assembly.try_insert_element(
-        Element {
-            id: String::from("gemini_a"),
-            label: String::from("Castor"),
-            color: [1.00_f32, 0.25_f32, 0.00_f32],
-            representation: engine::sphere(0.5, 0.5, 0.0, 1.0),
-            constraints: create_signal(BTreeSet::default()),
-            index: 0
-        }
+        Element::new(
+            String::from("gemini_a"),
+            String::from("Castor"),
+            [1.00_f32, 0.25_f32, 0.00_f32],
+            engine::sphere(0.5, 0.5, 0.0, 1.0)
+        )
     );
     let _ = assembly.try_insert_element(
-        Element {
-            id: String::from("gemini_b"),
-            label: String::from("Pollux"),
-            color: [0.00_f32, 0.25_f32, 1.00_f32],
-            representation: engine::sphere(-0.5, -0.5, 0.0, 1.0),
-            constraints: create_signal(BTreeSet::default()),
-            index: 0
-        }
+        Element::new(
+            String::from("gemini_b"),
+            String::from("Pollux"),
+            [0.00_f32, 0.25_f32, 1.00_f32],
+            engine::sphere(-0.5, -0.5, 0.0, 1.0)
+        )
     );
     let _ = assembly.try_insert_element(
-        Element {
-            id: String::from("ursa_major"),
-            label: String::from("Ursa major"),
-            color: [0.25_f32, 0.00_f32, 1.00_f32],
-            representation: engine::sphere(-0.5, 0.5, 0.0, 0.75),
-            constraints: create_signal(BTreeSet::default()),
-            index: 0
-        }
+        Element::new(
+            String::from("ursa_major"),
+            String::from("Ursa major"),
+            [0.25_f32, 0.00_f32, 1.00_f32],
+            engine::sphere(-0.5, 0.5, 0.0, 0.75)
+        )
     );
     let _ = assembly.try_insert_element(
-        Element {
-            id: String::from("ursa_minor"),
-            label: String::from("Ursa minor"),
-            color: [0.25_f32, 1.00_f32, 0.00_f32],
-            representation: engine::sphere(0.5, -0.5, 0.0, 0.5),
-            constraints: create_signal(BTreeSet::default()),
-            index: 0
-        }
+        Element::new(
+            String::from("ursa_minor"),
+            String::from("Ursa minor"),
+            [0.25_f32, 1.00_f32, 0.00_f32],
+            engine::sphere(0.5, -0.5, 0.0, 0.5)
+        )
     );
     let _ = assembly.try_insert_element(
-        Element {
-            id: String::from("moon_deimos"),
-            label: String::from("Deimos"),
-            color: [0.75_f32, 0.75_f32, 0.00_f32],
-            representation: engine::sphere(0.0, 0.15, 1.0, 0.25),
-            constraints: create_signal(BTreeSet::default()),
-            index: 0
-        }
+        Element::new(
+            String::from("moon_deimos"),
+            String::from("Deimos"),
+            [0.75_f32, 0.75_f32, 0.00_f32],
+            engine::sphere(0.0, 0.15, 1.0, 0.25)
+        )
     );
     let _ = assembly.try_insert_element(
-        Element {
-            id: String::from("moon_phobos"),
-            label: String::from("Phobos"),
-            color: [0.00_f32, 0.75_f32, 0.50_f32],
-            representation: engine::sphere(0.0, -0.15, -1.0, 0.25),
-            constraints: create_signal(BTreeSet::default()),
-            index: 0
-        }
+        Element::new(
+            String::from("moon_phobos"),
+            String::from("Phobos"),
+            [0.00_f32, 0.75_f32, 0.50_f32],
+            engine::sphere(0.0, -0.15, -1.0, 0.25)
+        )
     );
 }
 
@@ -72,84 +59,68 @@ fn load_gen_assemb(assembly: &Assembly) {
 fn load_low_curv_assemb(assembly: &Assembly) {
     let a = 0.75_f64.sqrt();
     let _ = assembly.try_insert_element(
-        Element {
-            id: "central".to_string(),
-            label: "Central".to_string(),
-            color: [0.75_f32, 0.75_f32, 0.75_f32],
-            representation: engine::sphere(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0),
-            constraints: create_signal(BTreeSet::default()),
-            index: 0
-        }
+        Element::new(
+            "central".to_string(),
+            "Central".to_string(),
+            [0.75_f32, 0.75_f32, 0.75_f32],
+            engine::sphere(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0)
+        )
     );
     let _ = assembly.try_insert_element(
-        Element {
-            id: "assemb_plane".to_string(),
-            label: "Assembly plane".to_string(),
-            color: [0.75_f32, 0.75_f32, 0.75_f32],
-            representation: engine::sphere_with_offset(0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, 0.0),
-            constraints: create_signal(BTreeSet::default()),
-            index: 0
-        }
+        Element::new(
+            "assemb_plane".to_string(),
+            "Assembly plane".to_string(),
+            [0.75_f32, 0.75_f32, 0.75_f32],
+            engine::sphere_with_offset(0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, 0.0)
+        )
     );
     let _ = assembly.try_insert_element(
-        Element {
-            id: "side1".to_string(),
-            label: "Side 1".to_string(),
-            color: [1.00_f32, 0.00_f32, 0.25_f32],
-            representation: engine::sphere_with_offset(1.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0),
-            constraints: create_signal(BTreeSet::default()),
-            index: 0
-        }
+        Element::new(
+            "side1".to_string(),
+            "Side 1".to_string(),
+            [1.00_f32, 0.00_f32, 0.25_f32],
+            engine::sphere_with_offset(1.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0)
+        )
     );
     let _ = assembly.try_insert_element(
-        Element {
-            id: "side2".to_string(),
-            label: "Side 2".to_string(),
-            color: [0.25_f32, 1.00_f32, 0.00_f32],
-            representation: engine::sphere_with_offset(-0.5, a, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0),
-            constraints: create_signal(BTreeSet::default()),
-            index: 0
-        }
+        Element::new(
+            "side2".to_string(),
+            "Side 2".to_string(),
+            [0.25_f32, 1.00_f32, 0.00_f32],
+            engine::sphere_with_offset(-0.5, a, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0)
+        )
     );
     let _ = assembly.try_insert_element(
-        Element {
-            id: "side3".to_string(),
-            label: "Side 3".to_string(),
-            color: [0.00_f32, 0.25_f32, 1.00_f32],
-            representation: engine::sphere_with_offset(-0.5, -a, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0),
-            constraints: create_signal(BTreeSet::default()),
-            index: 0
-        }
+        Element::new(
+            "side3".to_string(),
+            "Side 3".to_string(),
+            [0.00_f32, 0.25_f32, 1.00_f32],
+            engine::sphere_with_offset(-0.5, -a, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0)
+        )
     );
     let _ = assembly.try_insert_element(
-        Element {
-            id: "corner1".to_string(),
-            label: "Corner 1".to_string(),
-            color: [0.75_f32, 0.75_f32, 0.75_f32],
-            representation: engine::sphere(-4.0/3.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0/3.0),
-            constraints: create_signal(BTreeSet::default()),
-            index: 0
-        }
+        Element::new(
+            "corner1".to_string(),
+            "Corner 1".to_string(),
+            [0.75_f32, 0.75_f32, 0.75_f32],
+            engine::sphere(-4.0/3.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0/3.0)
+        )
     );
     let _ = assembly.try_insert_element(
-        Element {
-            id: "corner2".to_string(),
-            label: "Corner 2".to_string(),
-            color: [0.75_f32, 0.75_f32, 0.75_f32],
-            representation: engine::sphere(2.0/3.0, -4.0/3.0 * a, 0.0, 1.0/3.0),
-            constraints: create_signal(BTreeSet::default()),
-            index: 0
-        }
+        Element::new(
+            "corner2".to_string(),
+            "Corner 2".to_string(),
+            [0.75_f32, 0.75_f32, 0.75_f32],
+            engine::sphere(2.0/3.0, -4.0/3.0 * a, 0.0, 1.0/3.0)
+        )
     );
     let _ = assembly.try_insert_element(
-        Element {
-            id: String::from("corner3"),
-            label: String::from("Corner 3"),
-            color: [0.75_f32, 0.75_f32, 0.75_f32],
-            representation: engine::sphere(2.0/3.0, 4.0/3.0 * a, 0.0, 1.0/3.0),
-            constraints: create_signal(BTreeSet::default()),
-            index: 0
-        }
+        Element::new(
+            String::from("corner3"),
+            String::from("Corner 3"),
+            [0.75_f32, 0.75_f32, 0.75_f32],
+            engine::sphere(2.0/3.0, 4.0/3.0 * a, 0.0, 1.0/3.0)
+        )
     );
 }
 
diff --git a/app-proto/src/assembly.rs b/app-proto/src/assembly.rs
index 2763ae1..eb850d8 100644
--- a/app-proto/src/assembly.rs
+++ b/app-proto/src/assembly.rs
@@ -29,6 +29,25 @@ pub struct Element {
     pub index: usize
 }
 
+impl Element {
+    pub fn new(
+        id: String,
+        label: String,
+        color: ElementColor,
+        representation: DVector<f64>
+    ) -> Element {
+        Element {
+            id: id,
+            label: label,
+            color: color,
+            representation: representation,
+            constraints: create_signal(BTreeSet::default()),
+            index: 0
+        }
+    }
+}
+            
+
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub struct Constraint {
     pub subjects: (ElementKey, ElementKey),
@@ -92,14 +111,12 @@ impl Assembly {
         
         // create and insert a new element
         self.insert_element_unchecked(
-            Element {
-                id: id,
-                label: format!("Sphere {}", id_num),
-                color: [0.75_f32, 0.75_f32, 0.75_f32],
-                representation: DVector::<f64>::from_column_slice(&[0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.5, -0.5]),
-                constraints: create_signal(BTreeSet::default()),
-                index: 0
-            }
+            Element::new(
+                id,
+                format!("Sphere {}", id_num),
+                [0.75_f32, 0.75_f32, 0.75_f32],
+                DVector::<f64>::from_column_slice(&[0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.5, -0.5])
+            )
         );
     }