Let me start by saying that I RARELY take the time to write reviews but, in this case, I felt both the product and the manufacturer deserve a review. This is my first 3D printer purchase, so I did a lot of research online before making this purchase and my two top choices were the Flash Forge Creator Pro and the Qidi X-Pro. From what I can tell, they are almost identical machines with some slight differences. Two of the differences that stood out were price and customer service.
The price for the Qidi X-Pro was less and according to what other reviewers had said, the Qidi Customer Service was particularly good. So, I took my chances and placed an order for the Qidi X-Pro on July 4th weekend - a $100 price drop on the Qidi X-Pro also made the decision easier.
The printer arrived on time based on Amazon's shipping time schedule. Product was well packed, and I had watched some videos prior to the printer arriving so I was ready to jump in. Remember, I am new to this, so I am writing about something I never used before or ever even saw other than in videos online.
Setup was simple, and everything seemed well packaged and secure. I followed all the instructions, took my time and within a few hours (at the most) I was ready to print. So, for my first print I used the test print file on a thumb drive they provide (along with videos and other instructions) and started the print. To my amazement it printed what I would say was incredibly good. Again, being new to this, I was surprised how easy this was!
So, on to the next print and that is when the problems started!! The first print used the left extruder and the print was incredibly good but now the second print was using the right extruder and it would not print properly at all. The plastic was coming out of the extruder but was not sticking to the bed. I tried over and over but nothing was working. That is when I gave up and sent an Email to Judy at Qidi whose name is not only in the manual but also on a sticker right on the door of the printer. "Contact Judy or Emily for Customer Service". I sent the email off and by later that night I had an answer.
The nice thing about communicating with someone in China is there is a 12-hour time difference so when you send an email from the United States at 5:00 PM it is 5:00 AM there the next day. So, you might even get a response the same day which in this case, I did. You also must keep the time difference in mind and be patient if you do not get an answer immediately.
The answer came not only explaining what they thought was the problem but also a video of how to correct the problem. They thought the problem was the extruders were out of alignment and something happened during shipping. The suggestion was to remove the fan and some additional pieces so you can get to a nut behind the extruder to loosen it and then level or align the extruders.
OK - so let’s stop right here and maybe you should reread what I just wrote. Take some of the machine apart? This is also something I had read about when you own a 3D printer - expect to do maintenance!! If you do not want to get your hands dirty or touch any part of the inside of the printer then do not buy one! Do not buy ANY printer. I do not think there are any on the market that are maintenance free. I will admit that I was not expecting to have to do this from the start though.
But I dove in and tried what was suggested - it did not work. I tried numerous times but still no luck. So, I contacted Judy again and told her that I tried but the right extruder will not print. Judy said they will send a new extruder heads (dual extruder) and that I would have to replace the heads. I asked for a video so I would know what to do (and what I am getting myself into), so they sent the video and the extruder assembly. The assembly arrived in three days via DHL Express.
What I thought they were going to send was just the dual extruder heads, but I was wrong - they sent the entire assembly. Fans, cable assembly - the whole nine yards. So, I went about removing the old assembly and the replacing with the new one. The process was not hard at all and after I was done with replacing the assembly along with what I did prior to that, I learned a lot about how these printers are put together and work. So, for that experience I am not going to complain.
Now came the real test - would all this work? I went straight to the second test print and it worked!! I could not believe it, but it worked. It worked for a day and then we got hit with Hurricane Isaias on the East Coast (I am in NY) and power was out for days so no printing!
Once power was restored, I started printing again and the printer has been running great since. I have not had a chance to write this review until now but wanted to get this out there so if others are thinking about purchasing from QIDI - do not hesitate!! The other reviewers who said they provide good customer service were not kidding - they DO! And they also back up their product - they proved that by sending me a whole new extruder assembly!
I have a lot more to learn about 3D printing, but this was an experience that helped me learn about the machine which I now know how to work on. If you are not into working with tools and machines, then do not get a 3d printer. As I said before I cannot believe there are any out there you will not have to do some work on.
I have also learned that there are two other important factors in 3D printing - make sure the bed is level when you start a new print and use good filament. Do not buy cheap filament - use something that is consistent with good specifications.
Overall, I am incredibly pleased with the QIDI X-Pro. The one thing I do not like is the spool holders being on the back of the machine and the size of the holder. I did buy some other brand of filament and the spool hole size was slightly larger so, I printed my own spool holders along with a stand - keep on a shelf next to the printer and it works great! That is the beauty of having a 3D printer - make what you need.
The slicer software works - some people say they do not like it but since I have never used any before I do not think it's bad. Just get used to it and it seems fine. I have added support to a few prints, and it works great. Might explore other software but taking one step at a time.
The one thing I have not gotten to work right yet is the network connection. I have the printer on my network but if I try to send a print to it via Wi-Fi, it cannot find the printer. I do not have a problem using the thumb drive, so it is not a big deal to me. I will send Judy and email to see if she can help with that.
One thing which would be nice is to have a camera to monitor the printing process. I have read about that and it is a good idea. If anything goes wrong, you should have a way to monitor and then shut down. I have setup my own camera and am going to add a second one for multiple angles since I have the spools located off to the side of the printer. Minor details that you learn about after you get into this.
Noise level of the printer is not too bad. I was a little worried about that but it's not bad at all. I keep it in a room right next to where my office desk is and with the door closed I can hardly hear it at all and it's less than 10 feet away (with the door closed).
Anyhow - bottom line is this is a great printer at a great price and the customer support is great. They also claim to give you free support for one full year. Where else do you get that these days? Do not think twice about buying a printer from QIDI - you will not be sorry.
I hope this review was helpful to somebody - that is why I took the time to write it and post it!
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From the brand
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QIDI TECH, founded in 2014, is an advanced 3D printer company that is able to manufacture a full series of high-quality FDM printers. We have our own R&D center and laboratory.
We also have own a number of patents, software copyrights. All of our products have passed the MET safety quality certification, CE, FCC, ROHS certification. We have rich experience of OEM, ODM.
Product Description
QIDI TECH Main Innovation:
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Dual Extruder Assembly:Added four side air blow turbo fan, ensure better print quality. Print precision: 0.05 -0.4mm Print speed: 60mm-150mm Nozzle max temperature: 250℃ It is capable of printing PLA, ABS, TPU, PETG and two colors printing. |
Removable Plate:Movable extraction, curved metal plate, can be used repeatedly, it is more convenient to remove the model after printing. And meanwhile, can minimize the damages or offsets to the build plate. Which is widely appreciated by users. |
Heating bed:6mm aviation grade aluminum plate Can be heated up to 110℃ 12mm enhanced guide rod |
QIDI TECH Key Features:
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Power Breaking Point Function:A break point can be saved and the printing can be continued later. If power outage is occurred during the printing process, the printer will automatically save the break point. Intelligent! |
Slicing Software:QIDI Print slicing software, unique auto slice function based on your time and quality preferences. Easy to use. It can also compatible with simplify 3D software perfectly. |
4.3 Inch Touch Screen:4.3- inch touch screen with large interface. During whole process, providing you real-time printing status, make it more intuitive, and more precise and easier to operate. |
QIDI One-to-one Service:If any problems with the X-pro 3d printer, please contact Qidi Tech team and we will reply in 12 hours. |
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| X-PRO | X-PLUS Ⅱ | X-MAX | X-CF PRO | PA12-CF | |
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| Customer Reviews |
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| Price | — | — | — | $1,149.00 | $99.00 |
| Technology | Fused Deposition Modeling | Fused Deposition Modeling | Fused Deposition Modeling | Fused Deposition Modeling | Carbon Fiber filament |
| Build Volume | 9.1''x5.9''x5.9''(230x150x150mm) | 10.6''x7.9''x7.9''(270x200x200mm) | 11.8''x9.8''x11.8''(300x250x300mm) | 11.8''x9.8''x11.8''(300x250x300mm) | Diameter:1.75mm |
| Filament Types | PLA,ABS,TPU,PETG,HIPS | PLA,ABS,TPU,PETG,Nylon,PC,Carbon fiber,etc | PLA,ABS,TPU,PETG,Nylon,PC,Carbon fiber,etc | Carbon fiber,Nylon,PLA,ABS,TPU,PETG,etc | |
| Platform Support | Single Z axis | Double Z axis | Double Z axis | Double Z axis | |
| Extruder Configuration | 1 set of professional printing PLA, ABS TPU high stability extruder | 1 set of professional printing PLA, ABS TPU high stability extruder. Add 1 set of high performance extruder for printing Nylon, PC, Carbon fiber etc. | 1 set of professional printing PLA, ABS TPU high stability extruder, Add 1 set of high performance extruder for printing PC, Nylon, Carbon fiber. | 1 set of professional printing PLA, ABS TPU high stability extruder, Add 1 set of high performance all metal high temp extruder for printing Carbon fiber,Nylon. | |
| Printing Plate | heated, removable plate | heated, removable plate | heated, removable plate | heated, removable plate | |
| Support | 1-Year | 1-Year | 1-Year | 2-Year | |
| Filament Diameter | 1.75mm | 1.75mm | 1.75mm | 1.75mm | |
| Printing Extruder | Dual Extruder | Single Extruder | Single Extruder | Single Extruder | |
| Layer Thickness: | 0.05mm-0.4mm | 0.05mm-0.4mm | 0.05mm-0.4mm | 0.05mm-0.4mm |
Videos
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Customer Review: This is a good deal, but not a perfect deal.
SKYLER
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Customer Review: Well made printer that delivers
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X-pro 3d printer
Edify-Technology INC
Reviews with images
Great dual nozzle printer that's easy to get started
I have always wanted to get into 3d printing but the entry bar seemed to be very high. You either need to be able to assemble a printer from scratch, know how to program it, and , know how to model on expensive software, or spend thousands of dollars for a machine that was 'simple' to use. With the X-Pro, none of this is the case.This is a solid DUAL extruder model that cost less than some of its single extruder competition. It's easy to assemble out of the box; in fact most of it is already assembled and it comes with a USB drive that has videos on how to finalize the assembly, level the print bed using the automated leveling function of the printer, and other videos of interest. From the time I opened the box to the time I was preheating the printed for my first print was about 30 minutes and that is because I dropped a screw and had to search for it. The only tricky install is the turbofan nozzle that cools the print as it is laid on the print bed. That is the screw I dropped because I unscrewed it too far.After assembly, I leveled the bed, loaded up the test print and in just 45 minutes had my first print. The USB stick has 4 test files loaded that you need to slice and then tell the printer to print. The slicer software loaded on the USB is out of date, but you can download the latest edition from their website. The USB stick HAS to be inserted to print anything. The printer has no onboard memory and uses the memory stick.The printer comes with TWO 1KG spools of filament, one PLA, the other ABS and both seem to be good quality based on my usage. I am new so I can't guarantee there isn't better filament out there, but with this, I have no issues testing and learning the kinks of the printer.Print quality has been ok, but I chalk most of that up to my learning the finer points of when supports are needed and when to up the print head temp or the bed, etc. I've included a couple of pictures of prints, all of them from Thingaverse or the test print models from HeroForge. The figures need cleaning for some stringing and where the supports attached as well as painting. Red wouldn't be my first choice for printing then painting, but my PLA spool included was red, so, there you go. I tried printing in ABS with the PLA as supports but the temps are just different enough that it didn't work as well as I would like. The ABS print of baby Groot turned out exceptionally well once I played with the infill, temp settings and used a brim to print.While printing baby Groot, I lost power. I was 75% complete and was devastated until I remembered this printer is supposed to be able to recover from that. Sure enough, I told it to print the file and it asked me if I wanted to resume the print from the last completed level. I told it to start and it heated and completed the print from that point forward and I cannot see on the model where it restarted. I know some have reviewed and said this feature was hit or miss but for me, it was a definite hit. If I were printing things that I was concerned would be ruined if a layer was missed or if I were doing this for a living, I'd get a UPS for the printer, but as it stands, I am happy with the feature as is.The printer is completely enclosed with the included hood and side panels, so temperatures stay pretty even. I was expecting to smell the print, but thus far, I have had no smells with either ABS or PLA.I also have to say the after sales service and support are PHENOMENAL. The printer can connect wirelessly to your home network, but out of the box, I couldn't make it work. I emailed support thinking they may get back to me in a couple of days, but instead, in just six hours or so, I had my answer and they supplied they updated firmware with a video on how to install it. Then they actually followed up a day later to make sure the firmware updated and I wasn't having any issues. I told them off handed I was having issues with getting the print to stick to the bed and with stringing and they sent me instructions on how to adjust settings to better print, as well as alerting me that the slicer software shipped with the printer had been updated and where to go so I could download it.THey have even followed up since then to make sure I was still happy and I definitely am thrilled.My only negatives at this point is that it is LOUD. I have it on a table right in front of my desk and when it's on, I cannot hear anything past it. Also, the feeder tubs work well, but I had to play with it a bit to keep it from rubbing on the hood. I am going to print a couple of spacers I saw on Thingaverse to help support the printer head cables and feeder tubes and I think there will be no issue.Overall, I've had this for a month and almost gone through half of my initial spools and I am quite happy with my purchase. Now I'm looking to by some PVA or HIPS filament and utilize the dual extruder to print dissolvable supports as my hands and XActo knives aren't a good mix
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2020
Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2020
The bad news was that the delivery did not go well. In fact, the Amazon driver dropped the box on the porch. Literally dropped it about 18", and I had it on video. Amazon, to its credit, gave me a $20 credit on my next purchased, and they said the return would be easy if the printer was damaged. I feel fortunate that it wasn't, as it really is an outstanding value in my opinion.
I set up the printer following the directions supplied. The written instructions were not great, but they were sufficient to get it going. Probably the hardest and most frustrating thing I found was removing the clear hood from the body of the printer where it is stored during shipment. I really had to think about it carefully. Seemed trivial at first, but it took me 15 minutes to get it out. Perhaps this was my issue. LOL
Leveling was straightforward and took just a few minutes. I can't see how one would screw up. There are three thumb screws and a piece of material supplied.
Then, there's the software UI. It's not straightforward even after watching the related and supplied videos (which go way to fast.. seriously, they need to slow down), so I emailed support at the email supplied. The response was amazing. The first reply took a day. For subsequent inquires, and there were many, the response was no more than a day and usually quite quickly, sometimes within minutes. The support person (Judy) sent me links to videos that really helped. At one point, one of the extruder stopped working, but the fix was simple, which basically included a couple of troubleshooting steps, then replacing the extruder with one of the spares. (Subsequent to the replacement, I repaired the extruder with a propane torch, which was incredibly easy.) Do be careful, as both the extruders and the platform can get quite hot. I used the supplied tools and a garden glove to remove the problem extruder.
As to the printer, it really works well. It's quiet.. a lot quieter than I thought it would be. I typically print ABS, using the PLA for test prints. I was expecting ABS printing to generate quite a bit of fumes, but that wasn't really the case. Basically, I would close the door to the room and go to sleep. Minimal noise, no fumes evident. The printer is easily controlled by the software, and it remembers where it left off if you so desire when stopping a print job. There are several bits and pieces of spares and tools included with the printer. I never felt like I needed to use my own tools. I think the only minor downside is that during printing, there doesn't seem to be a way to turn off the very, very bright LED that illuminates the work. You can turn it off prior to printing with the touchscreen menu, but not during. The touchscreen functionality is good after you really think carefully about what the symbols mean (and in my case after an email response from support).
I use Ethernet printing exclusively, but I did try WiFi once. It worked, but I've got an Ethernet port about a foot from the printer. The only thing to remember is to ensure that a memory stick (the one supplied is fine) is inserted in the USB port on the printer. That's where the temporary files for printing are stored. The stick supplied has the manual and other information on it in a folder. I copied the folder to the computer, then removed the folder from the stick, although I don't think that was really needed, as the files are rather small. The largest and most complicated item I printed was 5 megs. The stick holds 16 gigs.
The only other thing you need to keep in mind is to have patience grasshopper when setting up a print. The extruder (one or both, depending on what you're doing) take a while to heat up. You can observe this on the printer touchscreen, but it's not particularly obvious. It took me a couple of tries to understand that patience was the key. You can heat them up manually on the touchscreen, but don't bother. Let the software do it. It's a lot more straightforward. After a file is sent to the printer, you get a series of beeps. Then, the platform and extruder heats (all preset for ABS or PLA.. you don't have to do anything manually). This takes a while, then the printer starts. My recommendation is to leave most of the defaults initially.
All in all, it's a very good printer. I don't much care about looks, but I do care about it being well-built (it clearly survived being dropped), and I care about print quality, of course. I also very much care about after-sale support, and whatever minor deficits this printer has, the support really made up the difference.
Great printer and even better techincal support
Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2020
So, I read many of the reviews prior to purchase, and I've used 3D printers many times in the past, and I decided that the price/performance/features and the reviews made sense for this printer.Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2020
The bad news was that the delivery did not go well. In fact, the Amazon driver dropped the box on the porch. Literally dropped it about 18", and I had it on video. Amazon, to its credit, gave me a $20 credit on my next purchased, and they said the return would be easy if the printer was damaged. I feel fortunate that it wasn't, as it really is an outstanding value in my opinion.
I set up the printer following the directions supplied. The written instructions were not great, but they were sufficient to get it going. Probably the hardest and most frustrating thing I found was removing the clear hood from the body of the printer where it is stored during shipment. I really had to think about it carefully. Seemed trivial at first, but it took me 15 minutes to get it out. Perhaps this was my issue. LOL
Leveling was straightforward and took just a few minutes. I can't see how one would screw up. There are three thumb screws and a piece of material supplied.
Then, there's the software UI. It's not straightforward even after watching the related and supplied videos (which go way to fast.. seriously, they need to slow down), so I emailed support at the email supplied. The response was amazing. The first reply took a day. For subsequent inquires, and there were many, the response was no more than a day and usually quite quickly, sometimes within minutes. The support person (Judy) sent me links to videos that really helped. At one point, one of the extruder stopped working, but the fix was simple, which basically included a couple of troubleshooting steps, then replacing the extruder with one of the spares. (Subsequent to the replacement, I repaired the extruder with a propane torch, which was incredibly easy.) Do be careful, as both the extruders and the platform can get quite hot. I used the supplied tools and a garden glove to remove the problem extruder.
As to the printer, it really works well. It's quiet.. a lot quieter than I thought it would be. I typically print ABS, using the PLA for test prints. I was expecting ABS printing to generate quite a bit of fumes, but that wasn't really the case. Basically, I would close the door to the room and go to sleep. Minimal noise, no fumes evident. The printer is easily controlled by the software, and it remembers where it left off if you so desire when stopping a print job. There are several bits and pieces of spares and tools included with the printer. I never felt like I needed to use my own tools. I think the only minor downside is that during printing, there doesn't seem to be a way to turn off the very, very bright LED that illuminates the work. You can turn it off prior to printing with the touchscreen menu, but not during. The touchscreen functionality is good after you really think carefully about what the symbols mean (and in my case after an email response from support).
I use Ethernet printing exclusively, but I did try WiFi once. It worked, but I've got an Ethernet port about a foot from the printer. The only thing to remember is to ensure that a memory stick (the one supplied is fine) is inserted in the USB port on the printer. That's where the temporary files for printing are stored. The stick supplied has the manual and other information on it in a folder. I copied the folder to the computer, then removed the folder from the stick, although I don't think that was really needed, as the files are rather small. The largest and most complicated item I printed was 5 megs. The stick holds 16 gigs.
The only other thing you need to keep in mind is to have patience grasshopper when setting up a print. The extruder (one or both, depending on what you're doing) take a while to heat up. You can observe this on the printer touchscreen, but it's not particularly obvious. It took me a couple of tries to understand that patience was the key. You can heat them up manually on the touchscreen, but don't bother. Let the software do it. It's a lot more straightforward. After a file is sent to the printer, you get a series of beeps. Then, the platform and extruder heats (all preset for ABS or PLA.. you don't have to do anything manually). This takes a while, then the printer starts. My recommendation is to leave most of the defaults initially.
All in all, it's a very good printer. I don't much care about looks, but I do care about it being well-built (it clearly survived being dropped), and I care about print quality, of course. I also very much care about after-sale support, and whatever minor deficits this printer has, the support really made up the difference.
Images in this review
