QIDI Q1 Professional 3D Printer Evaluation: A Heated Worth – 3DPrint.com

Disclosure: The Q1 PRO was supplied to me by QIDI freed from cost for the aim of this evaluate. I’ve not acquired some other compensation. All opinions expressed are my very own, and QIDI has had no affect on the content material of this evaluate.

QIDI Know-how, based in 2014 and based mostly in Ruian, Zhejiang, China, is a producer primarily of fused filament fabrication 3D printers. On this evaluate, I’ll put the Qidi Q1 Professional to the check, assessing its high quality, affordability, and potential as a dependable manufacturing instrument.

Unboxing:

Packaging high quality and contents.

Packaging high quality

The packaging was very good. As you’d anticipate from printers nowadays. All the things was secured tightly with foam and was plastic wrapped for scratch safety. I do like that QIDI added nook braces within the field, these assist quite a bit.

Meeting/construct high quality

The printer comes totally assembled, and the construct high quality is blended for me. On one hand, the printer’s body is rock stable. The gantry, construct platform, and kinematics are stiff, robust, and run easily. Then again, the spool holder, nozzle cleaner, and entrance door don’t encourage confidence. The spool holder and nozzle cleaner really feel flimsy, as if they might break at any second. The entrance door can be lacking a deal with, making it clean and exhausting to know. I ended up printing my very own and screwing it into the door.

First impressions

After one PLA Benchy print, which regarded good (as all Benchys ought to on fashionable printers), I used to be assured this printer was going to carry out nicely, no matter what I threw at it. I need to notice that QIDI ranges their machines on the manufacturing unit and states that solely the auto mattress leveling process must be carried out. In my printer’s case, nevertheless, the screws underneath the mattress had been free. After I ran the auto mattress calibration, I observed huge deviations within the construct plate—practically 2mm, not 0.2mm. The mattress diverse by 1.64mm from entrance to again.

Picture of the peak map with the big deviation of 1.64mm.

I’m additionally happy to see that a lot of the suggestions from the unique Q1s was addressed on this revised model. The construct plate is far simpler to align within the printer, sliding into two alignment tabs within the again as a substitute of only one. Moreover, the PTFE tube not exits from the again of the machine; it’s now inline with the spool holder, which is a pleasant enchancment.

{Hardware} and Specs:

The QIDI Q1 Professional boasts a regular construct quantity of 245x245x240mm, permitting for the creation of larger-scale prints. Whereas it’s marketed as able to reaching 600mm/s with 20,000mm/s² acceleration, it’s essential to notice that this refers back to the most motion pace of the toolhead relatively than the precise print pace. Outfitted with a hotend that may attain temperatures as much as 350°C and a construct plate able to heating to 120°C, the Q1 Professional can deal with a variety of supplies. The inclusion of a heated chamber, which may attain temperatures of as much as 60°C, additional expands its materials compatibility, permitting for the printing of supplies like ABS, PAHT, PC, and their carbon fiber variants.

Highlighted options, so as from left to proper: impartial Z-axis motors, 60°C heated chamber, and high-temp 350°C nozzle.

Full checklist of specs from QIDI

Software program and Consumer Interface:

The QIDI Q1 Professional presents flexibility in slicer compatibility, supporting each QIDI’s proprietary slicer and profiles inside Orca Slicer. For this evaluate, Orca Slicer was used. Whereas the Q1 Professional includes a modified person interface as a substitute of the usual Klipper display, it stays intuitive and simple to navigate. Nonetheless, contemplating the machine’s reliance on open-source Klipper firmware, a extra conventional Klipper display may need been preferable. Most printer operations are managed by means of the Fluidd interface in your PC. For these accustomed to Klipper, Fluidd presents in depth customization choices, from customized macros to time-lapses. Whereas the knowledge density of Fluidd/Klipper will be overwhelming for brand new customers, it offers unparalleled management and personalization capabilities.

Take a look at Prints and Efficiency:

Time-lapses had been a battle at first, as I saved getting a listing error. Nonetheless, this was ultimately resolved, although I do not know what modified. For the primary few days, the error continued, however someday I checked once more and located a folder filled with the previous couple of prints carried out on the printer—although not all of them. I nonetheless don’t know why the timelapses spontaneously began working, however I’m actually impressed with the 1080p digicam this printer has. These timelapses are considerably higher than these from a few of my different printers.

Whereas the QIDI Q1 Professional makes use of impartial Z-axis motors to align each side of the construct plate, I encountered some points on my first print. I resolved this by going by means of their construct plate calibration course of. This course of strikes the toolhead over every of the construct plate mounting screws, permitting me to make use of a wrench to loosen or tighten the screws and alter the construct plate till the nozzle was simply touching a bit of paper. Earlier than this, my mattress stage diverse by practically 2mm from the again left to the entrance proper. After the calibration, I used to be capable of obtain a stage of 0.05mm throughout the identical parts of the plate.

In my testing, I used to be capable of print with numerous supplies, all of which achieved a really clean and constant floor end. I persistently achieved glorious tolerances and accuracy, with a 0.05mm tolerance throughout all supplies I printed. At 0.05mm, there was an interference match between the exterior peg and the primary physique. I actually admire this for designing extra correct and dimensionally tight fashions. This functionality has been significantly useful with a few of my buyer orders that required snap and friction match parts.

Print Examples:

I actually needed to place this printer to the check with this one. Not solely am I printing a fancy truncated octahedron array, however I additionally selected to print it in Polycarbonate, which might certainly warp and deform if the heated chamber fluctuated in any respect. As you possibly can see, there may be some stringing, as Polycarbonate isn’t superb for printing with out helps, however there are not any layer misalignments or some other points within the print. The heated chamber remained very constant, making printing high-temp supplies like Excessive Temp Nylon or Polycarbonate a breeze.

My accuracy and squareness check print, printed in ASA

1. • X Measurement: 100.05mm out of 100mm.
   • Y Measurement: 100.04mm out of 100mm.
   • Z Measurement: 99.99mm out of 100mm.
   • XZ Measurement: 134.92mm out of 135mm.
   • YZ Measurement: 135.02mm out of 135mm.
   • XY – A Measurement: 149.93mm out of 150mm.
   • XY – B Measurement: 150.1mm out of 150mm.

What these measurements inform us is that the Q1 Professional is exceptionally correct. The Q1 got here very sq. and was capable of keep glorious tolerances in my testing. Very nicely carried out. (Exams and measurements had been performed after the construct plate was recalibrated.)

Precise print pace:

I’ve been capable of obtain roughly 200-300mm/s of usable print speeds. The Q1 Professional was capable of print ABS at 400mm/s, however the floor was matte, and the interlayer adhesion was weak, so I restricted it to 300mm/s. Nonetheless, I used to be capable of journey at 600mm/s, which is the printer’s most marketed pace, and I had no points reaching that pace reliably when used for journey strikes.

Precise materials capabilities:

Throughout my testing, I used to be ready to make use of all of the supplies I had with the QIDI Q1 Professional. The Q1 made printing with Excessive Temp Nylon and Polycarbonate considerably simpler than with my non-heated chamber printers. I’ve been getting extraordinarily constant prints with the Q1 Professional.

Noise stage:

The QIDI Q1 Professional averaged 60 decibels, making it a really quiet machine, particularly contemplating the pace and the extra followers for the heated chamber.

Reliability and Upkeep:

Over the course of this evaluate, the QIDI Q1 Professional has accrued over 300 hours of print time and consumed greater than 15 kilograms of filament. This contains a mixture of supplies akin to polycarbonate, carbon fiber-reinforced nylon, ASA, PETG, TPU, and PLA. With correct lubrication and upkeep, the Q1 Professional ought to require minimal part replacements over prolonged use. In my 300+ hours of operation, no replacements had been essential. When replacements are wanted, QIDI’s auto-calibration options make the method comparatively simple. Whereas the printer didn’t embody any spare elements within the field, QIDI presents a variety of inexpensive substitute and improve parts, together with hotends, nozzles, construct plates, and even tungsten nozzle upgrades. These costs are extremely aggressive, displaying QIDI dedication to offering worth for its prospects.

Value and Worth:

The QIDI Q1 Professional is priced at $599 however is usually accessible on sale for $449, positioning it competitively with the Flashforge A5M Professional. The Q1 Professional’s distinctive options, particularly the heated chamber, make it a wonderful worth for many who want or need to print with higher-temperature supplies. Whereas the chamber heater’s 60°C most temperature might not be adequate for aerospace-grade filaments like PEEK or PEI, it permits dependable printing of polycarbonate, ABS, and high-temperature nylon with out warping or delamination. The Q1 Professional’s impartial Z motors additional improve its worth by making certain a flat and sq. construct plate, which improves print high quality and consistency.

Abstract:

The QIDI Q1 Professional presents distinctive worth at a worth of $599, typically accessible for $449. Its excessive pace and temperature capabilities, mixed with excessive accuracy and repeatability, make it a high performer. The totally open Klipper firmware permits for in depth customization and optimization. Whereas the Q1 Professional can deal with a variety of supplies, together with high-temperature choices like polycarbonate and high-temperature nylon, its marketed pace of 600mm/s might not be sensible for all supplies. Nonetheless, it persistently achieved 400mm/s with supplies like PC and ABS, which move extra simply. When it comes to reliability, the Q1 Professional has demonstrated glorious uptime, with minimal downtime apart from preliminary leveling. For these looking for a printer for a manufacturing surroundings, particularly for supplies like nylon and polycarbonate, the Q1 Professional’s heated chamber and general efficiency make it a compelling selection. Whereas some minor floor ripples had been noticed in a tolerance check, these had been simply resolved by adjusting belt pressure and re-running the enter shaping calibration.