Metrological Evaluation of Dimensional and Surface Roughness of Thermoplastic PLA Parts in High-Speed MEX 3D Printing Using a Dodecahedron Benchmark Geometry.

This study addresses the influence of process conditions on the dimensional accuracy, geometric deviations, and surface quality of PLA parts manufactured using high-dynamics material extrusion (MEX) technology. The aim was to identify the dominant sources of variability and to assess within-condition manufacturing consistency and inter-machine consistency. The investigation considered two 3D printers, nine build locations on the working platform, two printing strategies (layer-by-layer and model-by-model), and model face orientation. Additionally, an exploratory comparison of aligned and random seam configurations and an analysis of local temperature variations within the build chamber were performed. Regular dodecahedron geometries were manufactured using a Bambu Lab P1S system and processed under identical high-quality printing parameters. Dimensional measurements were performed using a Linear 100 universal length measuring machine, while full-field geometric deviations were acquired using a GOM Scan 1 structured-light 3D scanner. Surface roughness (Ra) was measured with a MarSurf XR 20 profilometer. Part orientation is the dominant source of dimensional variability, representing the largest relative contribution to linear deviation in the mixed-effects model (ΔR