3D Printing - Dimensional Accuracy and Stability of PLA and PETG Prints Using the FDM Technology

This study examines the influence of FDM printing parameters on replica parts for an educational robotics kit, targeting functional compatibility without post-processing. A VEX Robotics 212 Beam (228‑2500‑026) was used as the reference part. Reference dimensions were obtained as mean values from 10 original VEX IQ parts. Replicas were printed from PLA and PETG on Original Prusa MK4 printers using four infill patterns and six infill densities (15–70%). For each material–pattern–density combination, 10 parts were produced, resulting in 480 printed samples. Width, length, and height were measured with a Mitutoyo MiSTAR 555 CNC CMM in accordance with ISO 10360-2. Results are expressed as mean deviations from reference dimensions, standard deviations, and expanded uncertainty of the mean. Maximum deviations reached 0.062, 0.092, and 0.032 mm for PLA, and 0.046, 0.090, and 0.028 mm for PETG. The results provide guidance for selecting non-solid infill settings that reduce material use and printing time while maintaining dimensional compatibility